DHAKA: A hospital in the capital of the Central African Republic has been attacked by armed gunmen, according to Al Jazeera sources.

At least ten people were killed when Seleka rebels arrived late on Friday night at Bangui`s Amitie hospital, where many of those wounded from days of violence were being treated, reports Al-Jazeera.

The gunmen reportedly pulled injured victims from the hospital, and shot them dead. The hospital has since been abandoned, Al Jazeera has been told.

On Saturday, the country`s interim authorities ordered all forces except foreign peacekeepers and the presidential guard off the streets of Bangui.

The order for gunmen to return to barracks in Bangui came as France dispatched troops to the country, where almost 400 people have died in three days of violence. On Saturday, France announced it was increasing the number of French troops from 1,200 to 1,600.

French President Francois Hollande also said on Saturday it would be difficult for the current head of Central African Republic to stay in place because he let the crisis there unfold.

"I don`t want to point fingers but we cannot keep in place a president who was not able to do anything, or even worse, who let things happen," Hollande said in an interview broadcast on the France 24 TV channel.

He said elections should be held before 2015 when the mandate of the interim president, Michel Djotodia, ends.

"The idea is to head as fast as possible towards elections," he said.

BDST: 1312 HRS, DEC 08 , 2013