Thursday, April 28, 2011

Ouattara mourns death of military

The president of Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara, said the death at the hands of his army sergeant Ibrahim Coulibaly, an ally in the war against former President Gbabgo, is "regrettable." Ouattara sent his condolences to the family of Coulibaly, who was part of his personal guard when he was prime minister (1990-1993) under the leadership of then president, Félix Houphouët-Boigny.

The new head of state said the sergeant, "if things have been like telling the press, is regrettable." "I send my sympathy to his family and parents," he said. Ibrahim Coulibaly headed the "Command invisible", a militia during the past four months he fought the forces of former President Laurent Gbagbo, who refused to accept the victory in the presidential Ouattara last December 3, 2010.

The sergeant of the pro-democratic forces Ouattara was killed late on Wednesday by the current president's Ivorian troops in what was his fiefdom, the Abobo neighborhood in the capital Abidjan. Alassane Ouattara had requested days before all militias to surrender their weapons and cede control back to the police and army to put an end to the fighting that is still registered in the country despite the defeat of Gbabgo, the April 11.

Clashes between armed groups loyal to former president and the forces that fought alongside Ouattara have left dozens dead and prevent their return to their homes of thousands displaced. Coulibaly himself showed his willingness to dismantle the command and surrender their weapons, but said "it would take time" to secure the withdrawal of his men.

The Ivorian army sergeant attacked yesterday and, by his collaborators, awaiting the arrival of United Nations forces to oversee disarmament. Ouattara Alessano first visit inside the capital Abidjan since they were announced the results of the runoff election to oversee the restoration work of the Presidential Palace.

The Ivorian president announced his willingness to hold his inauguration on 21 May at the palace in Abidjan or in the headquarters of Yamoussoukro, the administrative capital of the country, and said that "foreign and African personalities" have been invited to attend the ceremony.

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