President Michel Djotodia of the Central African Republic on Thursday extended a curfew in the capital by four hours, from 6:00 pm (1700 GMT) to 6:00 am, after a night of deadly clashes. Urging scared Bangui residents to "keep calm" in a radio-television broadcast, Djotodia added that "the French army is a friend" of the CAR, hours before a UN Security Council vote expected to authorise French military intervention to help restore order.