.- At least 296 people have died in the post-election violence in Ivory Coast from mid-December, said Thursday the United Nations mission in that country. President Laurent Gbagbo and his rival Alassane Ouattara has been locked in a violent power struggle since the presidential elections of November 28, which both claim to have won.
The results of the election commission gave the UN certified by Ouattara winner by a margin of eight points, something that has a wide international recognition, but Gbagbo has refused to resign and retains control of the military. Dozens of people have died in clashes between supporters of Ouattara and the security forces, mostly in raids of the allied troops in neighborhoods Gbagbo supporters of Ouattara.
Many have also been hijacked in the attacks, said the UN mission. A United Nations statement said that 22 people had died in Abidjan last week. "That makes the total death toll rises to more than 296 since mid-December," said UN spokesman Hamadoun Toure said, adding that others had been kidnapped or raped.
The paramilitary forces loyal to Gbagbo on Monday killed at least six civilians in an area of Ouattara's supporters, witnesses said. Gbagbo's forces have rarely commented on the number of victims and often blames the current political climate that exists in the country of violence, preventing access to the press or the public as they are collected the bodies. 
The results of the election commission gave the UN certified by Ouattara winner by a margin of eight points, something that has a wide international recognition, but Gbagbo has refused to resign and retains control of the military. Dozens of people have died in clashes between supporters of Ouattara and the security forces, mostly in raids of the allied troops in neighborhoods Gbagbo supporters of Ouattara.
Many have also been hijacked in the attacks, said the UN mission. A United Nations statement said that 22 people had died in Abidjan last week. "That makes the total death toll rises to more than 296 since mid-December," said UN spokesman Hamadoun Toure said, adding that others had been kidnapped or raped.
The paramilitary forces loyal to Gbagbo on Monday killed at least six civilians in an area of Ouattara's supporters, witnesses said. Gbagbo's forces have rarely commented on the number of victims and often blames the current political climate that exists in the country of violence, preventing access to the press or the public as they are collected the bodies.
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