.- The United Nations today called "unacceptable" that supporters of Ivorian leader, Laurent Gbagbo, stop and search vehicles for the agency's mission in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), in another apparent attempt to force the departure of the " peacekeepers. " The UN spokesman, Martin Nesirky said that this practice is a violation of Security Council resolutions and the agreement with the Government of Abidjan, which regulates the presence of UN troops in Ivory Coast soil.He also reiterated the condemnation of the use of public media by Gbagbo's Ivorian for "spreading false information" about the action of UNOCI, as well as any attempt to block the actions of personnel of the mission to implement its mandate. "Attacks against civilians and peacekeepers are considered criminal acts under international law and inciting terrorist acts, so that those responsible will have to answer for their actions," he told a news conference Nesirky.
According to the agency, its troops are facing an increasingly hostile situation in Ivory Coast, where their convoys have been shot at and looted by mobs allegedly instigated by supporters of Gbagbo. The president has consistently called on the United Nations out of the country, after the agency certifies the results of last November's presidential elections that were won by Alassane Ouattara.
Gbagbo refuses to hand over power and has the support of the armed forces, who have encircled the Golf Hotel in Abidjan where is the opposition political refugee under the protection of the "blue helmets." At least 260 people have died in violent incidents and clashes between supporters of both sides in the past two months, although the actual number of deaths could be even higher, according to United Nations.
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