INTERNATIONAL Criminal Court chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda called for “calm and restraint” today after rebel forces took control of the Central African Republic’s fourth-largest city just days before national elections.

“Anyone who commits, orders, incites, encourages or contributes in any other way to the commission of crimes” will be liable for prosecution, she warned after Bambari was overrun on Tuesday amid fears of an impending coup.

“The town is under the control of armed groups,” Bambari Mayor Abel Matchipata said, while a senior government official confirmed that “they are in the town,” adding: “We are waiting for reinforcements, which are on their way.”

The government has called for reinforcements from Rwanda and Russia as clashes with armed militia intensify ahead of the elections.

Moscow confirmed that it had sent an additional 300 instructors “to train the military personnel of the national army” under an existing co-operation agreement.

According to United Nations and NGO sources, the rebels were led by a group called Unity for Peace in Central Africa (UPC), which is contesting the elections due on Sunday.

“There has been no violence towards local people, but they have ransacked the police station, the gendarmerie and people’s houses,” Mr Matchipata said.

President Faustin-Archange Touadera’s government has faced threats from a myriad of militias amid political instability that began when the poverty-stricken country descended into violent conflict in 2012.

He remains the frontrunner, but government forces control only a third of the country.