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2011-04-21 Africa Subsaharan
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Ivorian militia chief declares loyalty to Ouattara
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[Arab News] The head of a powerful militia that fought against Laurent Gbagbo
... Former President-for-Life of Ivory Coast from 2000 to 2011. Laurent lost to Alassane Ouattara in 2010 but his representtive tore up the results on the teevee and he refused to vacate the presidential palace. French troops assisted the Oattara forces in extricating him from his Fuhrerbunker...
in Ivory Coast on Tuesday pledged allegiance to President Alassane Ouattara and dismissed reports that his men had fallen out with other fighters.
Ibrahim Coulibaly, head of the "Invisible Commandos" who harassed Gbagbo forces in Abidjan for weeks, said pro-Gbagbo forces must be included in the country's new army to avoid future bloodshed.
Ouattara won a November election which previous president Gbagbo refused to cede, leading to a four-month power struggle that ended last week when pro-Ouattara forces captured Gbagbo.
Gbagbo's arrest has raised hopes for peace in the leading cocoa grower.
But the weeks of heavy fighting
... as opposed to the more usual light or sporadic fighting...
have left groups of gunnies scattered across the country.
"The Invisible Commandos are at the service of the republic, its people and its head of state," Coulibaly, known as "IB," told news hounds in his first presser since his men started attacking Gbagbo's forces in Abidjan in January.
Coulibaly dismissed reports of disputes with other militias, saying that his 5,000 fighters were working alongside pro-Ouattara forces. "Anything else is a lie," he added.
Coulibaly's attacks in the north of the commercial capital appeared to open the way for Ouattara's supporters to sweep south and enter the city.
Their advance initially stalled amid fierce resistance from Gbagbo's elite forces and reports of rows between Coulibaly and Guillaume Soro, the former rebel leader who is Ouattara's prime minister.
Analysts questioned whether Ouattara would be able to control Coulibaly once he came to power.
"It is true that there was a moment of disagreement between myself and my young brother (Soro) but I think now is the time for reconciliation and forgiveness," Coulibaly said.
In recent days, residents who sheltered in their homes during days of intense fighting have started going back to work as a semblance of normality returns to parts of the city.
But in a reminder of the dangers, residents said heavy gunfire rang out on Tuesday in Yopougon, a district in Abidjan where many of the pro-Gbagbo militia, civilians who were armed during the last days of the fighting, have retreated to.
"We are hearing kabooms. There is the firing of heavy weapons. There is also the firing of Kalashnikovs," said Alexis Agnero. "There is fighting between the Republican Forces and the militia." 
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Posted by Fred 2011-04-21 00:00||
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