Poachers 'slaughter park elephants'

Poachers have slaughtered at least 26 elephants inside a famed park in the volatile Central African Republic, wildlife officials say.

Local residents had already started taking meat from the carcasses, which included four calves, WWF said.

Earlier this week, 17 armed fighters who identified themselves being with the Seleka rebel movement entered the Dzanga Bai. The rebels who overthrew Central African Republic’s president in March have been accused of involvement in elephant poaching.

The population of the region’s forest elephants has plummeted in recent years from poaching.