The United Nations is warning of a humanitarian crisis in the Central African Republic, which is facing acute shortages in food supplies, drinking water and medical aid.

UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Catherine Bragg describes the situation as "extremely critical", with one million of the country's four million inhabitants traumatised by ongoing violence and raids by rebels and gangs. Around 125,000 people are believed to have fled into the jungle, where aid organisations can hardly reach them. Another 135,000 people have moved to neighbouring Chad. Ms Bragg says the situation in the Central African Republic, after Sierra Leone the world's poorest country, is not comparable to that of other conflict areas.