The soldiers of the UN force in Cote d'Ivoire, ONUCI, encircle, Thursday, April 7, the last defenders of outgoing President Laurent Gbagbo in Abidjan, said Gerard Longuet, the French minister of defense. He described as "extraordinarily difficult" situation in the economic capital of Cote d'Ivoire, which has over four million inhabitants.
In Abidjan, "the troops who were dependent on the previous power pose major risks to people, not counting the bands of looters who draw the total absence of rule of law and personal opportunities," added the minister. Earlier in the day, sporadic shooting of heavy and light weapons were heard in Abidjan, around the palace and residence of Laurent Gbagbo.
A dozen armored UNOCI and the French Licorne force patrolling the Plateau, which has cut the former president. Laurent Gbagbo still has "a few thousand" men in Abidjan, about two hundred at his residence, according to the French Ministry of Defence. "In Abidjan, UNOCI has about 2,250 men, out of a total of 10 Ivory Coast 000.
France has increased its staff to Unicorn 1700, the tactics of President Ouattara groups represent about 2,000 men," he detailed before the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence of the Senate. Licorne was hit again Wednesday night, military objectives at the residence where the land Mr.
Gbagbo, who still refused to surrender, several hours after a failed assault forces of Alassane Ouattara. The head of French diplomacy, Alain Juppe reiterated that the fall of Laurent Gbagbo would intervene, "inevitably", without venturing to say whether it would be a matter of days or weeks.
While Monday night bombing of France and the United Nations - on the residence, in particular - had brought down most of the regime, but without getting that Gbagbo threw in the towel, the firing on Wednesday evening occurred on the occasion of the successful evacuation of the Japanese ambassador, Yoshifumi Okamura.
Initially, the French military and those of UNOCI had indicated they were not involved in the latest offensive of the pro-Ouattara. But faced with "heavy fire of the pro-Gbagbo, located in and around the presidential residence," and "particularly directed" to the nearby residence of the Ambassador of France, the French force has carried out "by returning fire helicopter "according to the Embassy of France.
After the successful evacuation, the Licorne force has been asked by the Israeli government to evacuate its diplomats in Abidjan. In Washington, a State Department official had said that Indian diplomats, Israeli and Japanese in Côte d'Ivoire and a score of journalists have sought assistance from the U.S.
to leave Abidjan. Gbagbo's camp has denounced the attack in the morning and the Licorne, seeing "an attempt to assassinate President Gbagbo." He accused the two forces to work together on these interventions. Gerard Longuet assured that France would not intervene in Ivory Coast if Mr. Ouattara was using it to permanently remove Gbagbo.
If France refuses military aid to Mr. Ouattara, his rival may still be available for support: Angola, which has one of the strongest armies in the continent, still considered the "president elect". In Abidjan, the people traumatized by the recent fighting remain largely holed up at home.
In some neighborhoods, the streets are almost deserted abandoned to looters, water and electricity are cut in places, food stores are dwindling. In others, an early return to normal sketched. The fighting with heavy weapons in Abidjan fact, the UN says left dozens dead and the humanitarian situation has become "absolutely dramatic", most hospitals no longer functioning. 
In Abidjan, "the troops who were dependent on the previous power pose major risks to people, not counting the bands of looters who draw the total absence of rule of law and personal opportunities," added the minister. Earlier in the day, sporadic shooting of heavy and light weapons were heard in Abidjan, around the palace and residence of Laurent Gbagbo.
A dozen armored UNOCI and the French Licorne force patrolling the Plateau, which has cut the former president. Laurent Gbagbo still has "a few thousand" men in Abidjan, about two hundred at his residence, according to the French Ministry of Defence. "In Abidjan, UNOCI has about 2,250 men, out of a total of 10 Ivory Coast 000.
France has increased its staff to Unicorn 1700, the tactics of President Ouattara groups represent about 2,000 men," he detailed before the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence of the Senate. Licorne was hit again Wednesday night, military objectives at the residence where the land Mr.
Gbagbo, who still refused to surrender, several hours after a failed assault forces of Alassane Ouattara. The head of French diplomacy, Alain Juppe reiterated that the fall of Laurent Gbagbo would intervene, "inevitably", without venturing to say whether it would be a matter of days or weeks.
While Monday night bombing of France and the United Nations - on the residence, in particular - had brought down most of the regime, but without getting that Gbagbo threw in the towel, the firing on Wednesday evening occurred on the occasion of the successful evacuation of the Japanese ambassador, Yoshifumi Okamura.
Initially, the French military and those of UNOCI had indicated they were not involved in the latest offensive of the pro-Ouattara. But faced with "heavy fire of the pro-Gbagbo, located in and around the presidential residence," and "particularly directed" to the nearby residence of the Ambassador of France, the French force has carried out "by returning fire helicopter "according to the Embassy of France.
After the successful evacuation, the Licorne force has been asked by the Israeli government to evacuate its diplomats in Abidjan. In Washington, a State Department official had said that Indian diplomats, Israeli and Japanese in Côte d'Ivoire and a score of journalists have sought assistance from the U.S.
to leave Abidjan. Gbagbo's camp has denounced the attack in the morning and the Licorne, seeing "an attempt to assassinate President Gbagbo." He accused the two forces to work together on these interventions. Gerard Longuet assured that France would not intervene in Ivory Coast if Mr. Ouattara was using it to permanently remove Gbagbo.
If France refuses military aid to Mr. Ouattara, his rival may still be available for support: Angola, which has one of the strongest armies in the continent, still considered the "president elect". In Abidjan, the people traumatized by the recent fighting remain largely holed up at home.
In some neighborhoods, the streets are almost deserted abandoned to looters, water and electricity are cut in places, food stores are dwindling. In others, an early return to normal sketched. The fighting with heavy weapons in Abidjan fact, the UN says left dozens dead and the humanitarian situation has become "absolutely dramatic", most hospitals no longer functioning.
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