How did anti-balaka militias form during the conflict with Seleka?

The anti-balaka militias formed in the Central African Republic as a response to the widespread violence, pillaging, kidnapping, and rape perpetrated by the Seleka rebel coalition after they seized control of the government in 2013.1

As the interim government struggled to maintain order or protect its citizens, the primarily Christian civilian population organized these militias to defend themselves against the mainly Muslim rebels. The name "anti-balaka" is derived from the Sango term for "anti-machete" or "machete proof," and it is also interpreted as anti-balles AK, a French phrase meaning "against the bullets from an AK-47 rifle".1

The emergence of these groups led to a cycle of violent sectarian attacks between Christians and Muslims, resulting in significant loss of life and mass displacement of the civilian population.1