BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — French forces have fought an armed group in northern Central African Republic that is blamed for killing health workers from Doctors Without Borders.

The French military announced Tuesday in a statement that its forces had battled rebels in the region of Boguila-Kota and that “numerous losses” had been inflicted Monday.

Muslim rebels from the former Seleka alliance that controlled the country until January were blamed for the recent attack on a hospital in Boguila.

Doctors Without Borders — also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres, or MSF — had operated the facility since 2006.

The French army said that the fighting lasted four hours and that the rebels were heavily armed.

Doctors Without Borders say 16 people were killed in the April 26 attack, including three members of their staff.

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