Have you heard that the State Department had to evacuate the United States embassy in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic? I didn’t either, until I saw it at The Other McCain. The French media is reporting on the situation.

The United States evacuated its embassy in the Central African Republic as the nation’s embattled leader appealed for French and US help after rebels seized large swathes of the mineral-rich country.

The United States said Thursday it had evacuated the embassy and temporarily halted its operations. The State Department said it had not broken off diplomatic ties with the beleaguered government, but warned US citizens not to travel to the chronically unstable country while unrest continues.

The United Nations is also pulling out its staff as rebel fighters close in on the capital Bangui, creating alarm among residents.

“We ask our French cousins and the United States of America, the great powers, to help us to push back the rebels… to allow for dialogue in Libreville to resolve the current crisis,” President Francois Bozize told thousands of supporters at a rally in Bangui. (Read More)

The French basically told them to pound sand.

McCain found out about this news story from Ace of Spades and Becca Lower. Twitchy noted than an ABC News reporter has tweeted some details. As of 6:23 PM ET there is nothing on ABC’s home page, but there is a story about a fat cat named Tiny Tim who is battling weight issues.