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| Africa Subsaharan |
| High alert after Ivory Coast raid |
| 2005-12-02 |
| Security forces in the main Ivory Coast city, Abidjan, are on high alert after an overnight raid by unknown gunmen. There were no immediate reports of casualties from the raid on the Agban barracks. Shooting was also heard in other parts of the city. Roads in and around Abidjan were closed but the city is now calm. Tension is high in Ivory Coast due to disagreements between rebels and the president over who should become prime minister, to organise elections. Some 10,000 French and United Nations peacekeepers are monitoring a buffer zone between the rebel-held north and the loyalist south. "People in civilian clothing came and attacked the barracks but the shooting has stopped," Lt Col Rene Sacko from the military's central command told Reuters news agency. "We are carrying out searches to secure the area. We have no injured or dead," he said. An unidentified police officer told Reuters that there had been 20 attackers armed with Kalashnikovs and that some people had been arrested. The BBC's James Copnall in Abidjan says the shooting lasted between 10 and 20 minutes before the attackers fled. There have been a number of unexplained attacks in Ivory Coast in recent months - in particular an armed group briefly took control of the southern city of Agboville last July. In July, unidentified assailants attacked police bases in the north of Abidjan. Seven members of the security forces and 17 attackers were reported killed. Supporters of Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo accused the New Forces rebels of being behind that attack. Several diplomats based in Ivory Coast said it was carried out by forces loyal to Mr Gbagbo. Our correspondent says tension is high in Ivory Coast. High-level African diplomacy has so far been unable to find a new prime minister acceptable to all sides. The UN maintained Mr Gbagbo in power after his mandate ran out in October but said a new prime minister with reinforced powers should be named to take the country to free and fair elections. |
| Posted by:Steve |