BANGUI, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- About 40 people have been killed during clashes between business owners and an armed rebel group at the PK5 trading zone in the Central African Republic's capital Bangui since Dec. 24, local sources said.

An armed Central African soldier patrols at the central market in Birao, Central African Republic, on November 6, 2019. (File photo: AFP)

The clashes became the worst on Thursday when the rebel group burned down the shops of some business owners at the trading zone over what's believed to be disagreements over protection fees and the reported killing of one rebel group member by the business owners earlier.

The trading zone is a stronghold of the rebel group who receive protection fees from the business owners.