Polish Priest Abducted in CAR by Seleka-Linked Rebels

CA Polish missionary was abducted on Sunday by a group of armed rebels in the Central African Republic, the Polish branch of the Vatican's Pontifical Mission Societies said Tuesday.

Father Mateusz Dziedzic, a Roman Catholic priest from Tarnow, southeastern Poland, was kidnapped at night by armed men who said they wanted to trade him for one of their leaders detained in neighboring Cameroon, the Polish source said.

The kidnappers also wanted to nab another priest at the mission in Baboua, in western CAR, but gave up on the idea following negotiations.

The kidnappers were working for rebel leader Abdoulaye Miskine and the abducted missionary was being "treated well", the Polish source told AFP.

Miskine is a former ally of the Seleka, a mainly Muslim rebel coalition that held power in Bangui from March to December 2013.

He was arrested last year on the border between Cameroon and the CAR, and has since been detained in Cameroon.

His group was involved in kidnappings and in May the United States imposed sanctions against him and four others from the former Central African Republic.

The Polish Foreign Ministry confirmed the kidnapping in a statement, adding it had created a crisis unit to secure the priest's release.

Dziedzic is one of 32 Polish missionaries currently working in CAR, according to the ministry.