Abidjan in the fighting, 800 dead in the West

As a certain lone wolf with a sharp financial mind would say, alas, perhaps prepare yourself in the end to concretely do so as a precaution reserves of coffee before it increases... (just the time to temporize). Because everything is accelerating in Ivory Coast (which is the 3^e world producer), where gunfire and heavy weaponry rang out all morning near the presidential palace in Plateau, a Reuters journalist reported. Clashes also took place near RTI premises and gendarmerie camps.

Regarding the events in Duékoué, the organization Caritas reported that dozens of people were also missing there, in addition to the 800 dead reported by the ICRC.

The army distributed weapons to hundreds of members of the pro-Gbagbo "Young Patriots", who killed an unknown number of civilians, including West African immigrants whom television blamed for the internal uprising.

Gbagbo has recorded defections of senior army officers since the arrival of pro-Ouattara in Abidjan. But his camp says he will stay in Côte d'Ivoire and not surrender.

Patrick Achi, Ouattara's spokesman, told Reuters by phone that Gbagbo's downfall was nonetheless imminent.

Discover all the details of this explosive situation in the generous article of Le Point and rich additional information! ; )

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Soldiers backing Alassane Ouattara faced stiff resistance from incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo's fighters on Saturday in Abidjan, where the two sides are vying for control of Ivory Coast.

Sign of the scale and gravity of the conflict, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced that inter-community violence had killed at least 800 people on March 29 in Duékoué, a town in the west of the country. fallen that day into the hands of Ouattara's forces.

In Abidjan, fighting opposed the opposing forces around the presidential palace, the Ivorian radio and television station (RTI) and military camps.

The RTI, which the Gbagbo camp still controls but whose fighting had interrupted the broadcasts for a day, resumed them by broadcasting images of Gbagbo, looking relaxed and drinking tea. These images would have been taken this Saturday.

Shootings and heavy weapon fire rang out all morning near the presidential palace in Plateau, a Reuters journalist reported. Clashes also took place near RTI premises and gendarmerie camps.

Regarding the events in Duékoué, the Caritas organization reported that dozens of people were also missing there, in addition to the 800 dead reported by the ICRC.

1.300 FOREIGN NATIONALS GROUPED

"There were many murders behind the advance of Ouattara's forces and many people may have fled," Caritas representative Jean Djoman said by telephone from Abidjan. "We believe the total dead and missing is around XNUMX."

On this basis, the confirmed toll of victims of violence since the presidential election of November 28 would reach around 1.300 dead. Gbagbo refuses to cede power to Ouattara although the latter was recognized as the winner of the ballot by almost the entire international community.

The real toll is undoubtedly much heavier because of the extent of the fighting and because Gbagbo's forces rarely reveal their losses or the number of civilians killed.

In France, the Ministry of Defense said on Saturday that the French military base of Port-Bouët, in the south of Abidjan, now hosts more than 1.300 foreign nationals, including a third of French nationality.

Residents of the Adjamé district - close to that of Cocody, where Gbagbo's official residence is located - reported strong explosions near the Agban gendarmerie camp, the largest in the city.

"It's very powerful and we are sheltering in our homes," said Jules Konin, who lives nearby.

Ouattara's forces reached Abidjan on Thursday after a rapid southward advance that initially encountered very little resistance.

GBAGBO DOES NOT INTENTION TO SURRENDER

But they now face Gbagbo's most seasoned fighters, some 2.500 members of the Republican Guard gathered in the lagoon metropolis with the last elements of the regular army who are still loyal to him.

Half a thousand supporters of Ouattara were refueling at a service station located two kilometers north of Abidjan and transformed into a rear base. They weren't very talkative about the turn of the fighting in town.

"It's okay, it's okay," one said, when asked if they were having any difficulties.

RTI released a statement that Gbagbo would reject any exile proposal. An officer who appeared on the screen with his soldiers appealed to the security forces to unite against the pro-Ouattara offensive.

"We will die to preserve the republic for our children. This war is unjust," a fighter who called himself "General La Poudrière" told Reuters on Saturday.

Gbagbo has recorded defections of senior army officers since the arrival of pro-Ouattara in Abidjan. But his camp says he will stay in Côte d'Ivoire and not surrender.

Patrick Achi, Ouattara's spokesman, told Reuters by phone that Gbagbo's downfall was nonetheless imminent.

“Where will he go? He controls neither the army nor the gendarmerie. They are exhausted and are running out of ammunition, he said. All their generals have surrendered. a strength."

With Emma Thomasson in Geneva, Jean-Philippe Lefief, Henri-Pierre André and Philippe Bas-Rabérin for the French department

source: The Point