Of heavy gunfire were heard Tuesday morning April 5, in Abidjan, where the forces of the Ivorian president recognized by the international community, Alassane Ouattara, facing those of his rival, Laurent Gbagbo, after strikes and the UN France. The shots were heard from the Plateau district, where is the presidential palace.
At least one helicopter was flying over the area Tuesday morning, it is not possible to identify at what force he belonged. The "final assault" against the camp strongholds Ouattara Gbagbo announced Monday night, was given the night. Fierce fighting continued, particularly around the gendarmerie training school, located in the Cocody district, one resident reported.
The battle of Abidjan, committed on March 31 at night by the pro-Ouattara, has changed its size with the debut on Monday, the UN and former colonial power, more than four months after the beginning of a post-election crisis that has degenerated into near civil war. Forces of the UN mission in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) and the French Licorne force struck in Abidjan last bastions of Laurent Gbagbo, including his palaces and his residence, to destroy heavy weapons.
UNOCI and Licorne also fired Monday afternoon on the Agban military camp, a stronghold of the pro-Gbagbo in the northern business capital, and Akouedo. According to one diplomatic source, the state television RTI has also been targeted by a "missile" and the signal was then cut. The strikes are the result of a request "urgent" the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, according to UN officials.
Toussaint Alain, Gbagbo's adviser in Europe, in Paris convicted of "illegal acts", "acts of war." "The purpose of this action is the assassination of President Gbagbo," he said. But the UN chief has assured that the strikes were aimed at protecting civilians, not to attack Mr. Gbagbo, by neutralizing the heavy weapons of the latter.
The French Presidency has confirmed that troops of UNOCI have taken actions involving the French forces, under Resolution 1975 of the Security Council of the United Nations to "offset heavy weapons used against civilians." The spokesman of the French government, Baroin, implicitly excluded on Tuesday, a further strengthening of French military forces in Côte d'Ivoire, saying that "they have already" and that "they are significantly and suffisammment "présentespour intervene in the framework of the international resolution of the UN.
The U.S. president, Barack Obama, urged on Monday, leaving the Ivorian president to respect the will of his countrymen and to "cease to claim the presidency," the White House. Alassane Ouattara forces had announced on Monday, making the residence of Laurent Gbagbo. The information, unverifiable, was denied a source close to security forces.
A French gendarme of the GIGN, which provided protection from the residence of the Ambassador of France in Abidjan was wounded in the thigh by shrapnel from bullet or rocket Monday evening, officials said Tuesday at the gendarmerie in Paris . This policeman, who was on a mission of observation in the garden of the Embassy residence, near the residence of Laurent Gbagbo, was evacuated to the French base at Port-Bouet, where he was operated.
His condition does not worry. In the Ivorian economic capital, since Thursday evening theater of fighting and looting, France began on Monday morning, the "reunification" of its nationals in three parts of the city, including the Unicorn camp at Port-Bouet. Some 1,900 foreigners were Monday night under the protection of the French army and 447 others left Abidjan since Sunday, according to Unicorn.
The Quai d'Orsay estimated that some 12 200 the number of French in Cote d'Ivoire, including 11,800 in Abidjan. Some 7,300 have dual nationality. Hours before the strikes, two French, one Beninese and one Malaysian were removed at the Novotel Hotel Abidjan by "armed elements" in a neighborhood controlled by Gbagbo's camp, according to a diplomatic source.
"Between six or seven armed elements have intruded into the Novotel," the source said, that the French are removed the hotel manager and the chairman of the board of directors of Ivorian agro-industrial group Sifca Yves Lambelin . 
At least one helicopter was flying over the area Tuesday morning, it is not possible to identify at what force he belonged. The "final assault" against the camp strongholds Ouattara Gbagbo announced Monday night, was given the night. Fierce fighting continued, particularly around the gendarmerie training school, located in the Cocody district, one resident reported.
The battle of Abidjan, committed on March 31 at night by the pro-Ouattara, has changed its size with the debut on Monday, the UN and former colonial power, more than four months after the beginning of a post-election crisis that has degenerated into near civil war. Forces of the UN mission in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) and the French Licorne force struck in Abidjan last bastions of Laurent Gbagbo, including his palaces and his residence, to destroy heavy weapons.
UNOCI and Licorne also fired Monday afternoon on the Agban military camp, a stronghold of the pro-Gbagbo in the northern business capital, and Akouedo. According to one diplomatic source, the state television RTI has also been targeted by a "missile" and the signal was then cut. The strikes are the result of a request "urgent" the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, according to UN officials.
Toussaint Alain, Gbagbo's adviser in Europe, in Paris convicted of "illegal acts", "acts of war." "The purpose of this action is the assassination of President Gbagbo," he said. But the UN chief has assured that the strikes were aimed at protecting civilians, not to attack Mr. Gbagbo, by neutralizing the heavy weapons of the latter.
The French Presidency has confirmed that troops of UNOCI have taken actions involving the French forces, under Resolution 1975 of the Security Council of the United Nations to "offset heavy weapons used against civilians." The spokesman of the French government, Baroin, implicitly excluded on Tuesday, a further strengthening of French military forces in Côte d'Ivoire, saying that "they have already" and that "they are significantly and suffisammment "présentespour intervene in the framework of the international resolution of the UN.
The U.S. president, Barack Obama, urged on Monday, leaving the Ivorian president to respect the will of his countrymen and to "cease to claim the presidency," the White House. Alassane Ouattara forces had announced on Monday, making the residence of Laurent Gbagbo. The information, unverifiable, was denied a source close to security forces.
A French gendarme of the GIGN, which provided protection from the residence of the Ambassador of France in Abidjan was wounded in the thigh by shrapnel from bullet or rocket Monday evening, officials said Tuesday at the gendarmerie in Paris . This policeman, who was on a mission of observation in the garden of the Embassy residence, near the residence of Laurent Gbagbo, was evacuated to the French base at Port-Bouet, where he was operated.
His condition does not worry. In the Ivorian economic capital, since Thursday evening theater of fighting and looting, France began on Monday morning, the "reunification" of its nationals in three parts of the city, including the Unicorn camp at Port-Bouet. Some 1,900 foreigners were Monday night under the protection of the French army and 447 others left Abidjan since Sunday, according to Unicorn.
The Quai d'Orsay estimated that some 12 200 the number of French in Cote d'Ivoire, including 11,800 in Abidjan. Some 7,300 have dual nationality. Hours before the strikes, two French, one Beninese and one Malaysian were removed at the Novotel Hotel Abidjan by "armed elements" in a neighborhood controlled by Gbagbo's camp, according to a diplomatic source.
"Between six or seven armed elements have intruded into the Novotel," the source said, that the French are removed the hotel manager and the chairman of the board of directors of Ivorian agro-industrial group Sifca Yves Lambelin .
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