Ellington

N'DJAMENA, Chad (AP) — Michel Djotodia, the rebel leader who seized control of Central African Republic only to see the desperately poor country tumble toward anarchy and sectarian bloodshed, agreed to resign Friday along with his prime minister, regional officials announced.

On the streets of Bangui, the capital of Central African Republic, there was jubilation about the possibility that the terrible security situation might change.

"Finally we are free! We are going to return home at last," said Carine Gbegbe, 28, who has been living in a displacement camp on the southern outskirts of the capital.

There has been growing pressure for Djotodia to step aside as the fighting between Christians and Muslims has escalated. His resignation should help placate the armed Christian militias who have used to violence to seek his ouster. However, his departure could also create an even greater power vacuum in a land that has long known coups and dictatorship.

And while Djotodia may now be gone from power, he wielded little control over the armed rebels who brought him to power — some of whom may not be eager to return to the hinterlands of the north. It also remains to be seen whether the foreign fighters from neighboring Sudan and Chad who backed Djotodia will now leave the country.

Ahmat Allami, the secretary-general of the Economic Community of Central African States, made the announcement following a summit in neighboring Chad on the crisis. Legislators from Central African Republic also were flown to the Chadian capital of N'Djamena on Thursday to take part in the discussions.

Djotodia's departure leaves the country in the hands of a weak transitional government. Prime Minister Nicolas Tiangaye, a longtime opposition leader prior to the March 2013 coup, is also stepping aside, Allami said.

Under its charter, the national transitional council led by Alexandre Ferdinand Nguendet now has 15 days to choose another interim president to replace Djotodia.

Rumors of a Djotodia resignation had spread across the capital of Bangui this week, prompting the presidency to release a sharply worded denial. However, it had become clear in the past month that patience with Djotodia was waning within the international community. While Djotodia had issued messages calling for peace in the streets, only French troops and African peacekeepers had been able to stop some of the mob attacks.

A frustrated Djotodia responded by saying no one could solve Central African Republic's myriad of problems in just eight months.

"I am not God, I hope. I am a man like you. And this country is vast — 623,000 square kilometers (387,000 square miles)," he told reporters. "You could bring an angel from the sky to govern this country and there would still be problems."

Central African Republic has long been one of the world's most unstable countries. The March 2013 coup brought heavily armed rebels to power who then proceeded to carry out atrocities against civilians, tying people together and throwing them off bridges to drown. The rebels are mostly from the minority Muslim population and hail from the country's long-marginalized north, and the resentment toward their abuses transformed the conflict into one with religious undertones.

In early December, a Christian militia backed by loyalists of ousted President Francois Bozize attacked the capital. In the violent aftermath, more than 1,000 people were killed and nearly 1 million fled their homes in fear. An estimated 100,000 people alone have sought shelter at the airport being guarded by French troops.

Former colonizer France has sent some 1,600 troops in an effort to stabilize the country and an African peacekeeping force has provided thousands of additional soldiers. However, violence continues to wrack the capital of Bangui. Muslims who are suspected of collaborating with Djotodia's rebellion have been stoned to death in the streets and their bodies mutilated.