Situation in Cote d’Ivoire remains volatile: UN spokesman
March 29th, 2011 - 8:27 am ICT by IANSUnited Nations, March 29 (IANS) The situation in Abidjan, the capital of Cote d’Ivoire, remains volatile, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky has said .
“Patrols from the UN Mission in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI) conducted last Friday and Saturday confirmed the use of mortars and heavy machine guns in the city’s Abobo neighbourhood by pro-Gbagbo forces, ” Xinhua quoted Nesirky saying at a daily news briefing Monday.
Elsewhere in the city there have been numerous instances where UN vehicles and staff have been targeted. A UN-marked bus was damaged by stone-throwing demonstrators Sunday, the UN spokesman said Monday.
UNOCI also reported fresh fighting in Duekoue, situated in the West of the West African country, where the Republican Forces of Cote d’Ivoire (FRCI) continue to push east and locals have gathered at UNOCI premises seeking protection.
As many as 1 million people have been driven from their homes in Cote d’Ivoire in the months of turmoil stemming from the outgoing president’s refusal to leave office, with violence mounting and his loyalists using heavy weapons against civilians.
Forces loyal to Gbagbo have attacked civilians and UN peacekeepers, killing more than 460 people and displacing an estimated 500,000, causing them to become internally displaced persons (IDPs) or refugees in countries like Liberia.
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- Obama hails 'decisive turn of events' in Cote d'Ivoire - Apr 12, 2011
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- India supports UN sanctions against Cote d'Ivoire - Mar 31, 2011
- Indian ambassador evacuated in Ivory Coast - Apr 08, 2011
- India evacuates 44 more from Abidjan - Apr 18, 2011
- Obama welcomes end of Gbagbo's 'illegitimate claim to power' in Ivory Coast - Apr 12, 2011
- Three killed Indian peacekeepers to be honoured - May 25, 2012
Tags: abobo, civilians, cote d ivoire, demonstrators, duekoue, last friday, locals, loyalists, machine guns, mortars, neighbourhood, news briefing, outgoing president, refugees, republican forces, spokesman, turmoil, united nations march, unoci, xinhua