Rebels in the Central African Republic (CAR) have seized the key city of Bambari as part of their offensive against President Francois Bozize.
The city fell into rebels hands after an hour of fighting with government forces, the AFP news agency was told.
Bambari is one of several towns the rebels have captured in the past month – and the nearest they have got to the capital Bangui.
They accuse President Bozize of failing to honour a 2007 peace deal.
They say the deal, between the government and former armed groups, was meant to see the release of political prisoners and payment for fighters who lay down their arms.
The rebels – known as the Seleka coalition and made up of breakaway factions from three of the former armed groups – have pledged to depose Mr Bozize unless he negotiates with them.
They began their campaign a month ago, and have taken several towns in their push towards the capital.
They took the mining town of Bria in a diamond-rich part of the country a few days ago. Bambari is the third largest city in CAR.
A spokesman for the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres told the BBC that many people had been displaced by the fighting, including some in areas still controlled by government troops.
Mr Bozize has been in power since leading a coup in 2003 and winning elections in 2005 and 2011.
The 2007 accord led to rebel forces being integrated into the army.
But some of the rebels have since deserted and taken up arms again.
The CAR is rich in mineral resources, including gold and diamonds, but its population is extremely poor and has suffered a series of rebellions and coups since independence in 1960.
CAR rebels seize city of Bambari http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/64927000/gif/_64927599_car_bambari_bria_12_12.cmp.gif
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