People flee as gendarmes fire in the air at Ivory Coast's main port

Record ID: 164723

  • Title: People flee as gendarmes fire in the air at Ivory Coast's main port
  • Date: 18th January 2017
  • Summary: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (JANUARY 18, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE FLEEING PORT WHERE GENDARMES FIRED IN AIR VARIOUS OF REPUBLICAN GUARD FOR CIVILIAN SECURITY IN STREET MANAGING TRAFFIC (SOUNDBITE) (French) WORKER AT PORT, HASSAN LAMINA, SAYING: "There are mutineers who are shooting in the air. They were in two 4X4 style vehicles. They parked and then entered the port. There were gendarmes on the other side in front of them. They started shooting, so everyone ran away and left the port." VARIOUS OF ARMED REPUBLICAN GUARD SOLDIER IN STREET VARIOUS OF REPUBLICAN GUARDS IN BACK OF MOVING PICKUP TRUCKS VARIOUS OF HEAVY TRAFFIC YAMOUSSOUKRO, IVORY COAST (JANUARY 17, 2017) (REUTERS) AFTERMATH OF SHOOTING / CLOSED DOWN SHOPS DESERTED STREET CAR THAT WAS ATTACKED VARIOUS OF BULLET HOLES IN CAR VARIOUS OF BLOOD STAINS IN CAR DESERTED STREET
  • Embargoed: 1st February 2017 14:16
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ABIDJAN AND YAMOUSSOUKRO, IVORY COAST
  • City: ABIDJAN AND YAMOUSSOUKRO, IVORY COAST
  • Country: Ivory Coast
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015ZLZN0N
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Paramilitary gendarmes entered the port in Ivory Coast's commercial capital on Wednesday (January 18), firing guns in the air and ordering companies to close, a Reuters witness said, as weeks of unrest in the security forces showed no signs of easing.
    The gendarmes, part of the police force, then moved out of the port area and blocked a major road in the city's Treichville neighbourhood, halting traffic and sending residents fleeing home.
    The disgruntled gendarmes later sealed off the entrances to the port, forcing companies, including cocoa exporters, to halt operations, a customs officer and an employee of an export firm said.
    Abidjan's port is one of the two main export points for cocoa shipped from the world's leading producer.
    Separately, guards in Bouake, the West African nation's second largest city, also fired their weapons in front of the main prison to try to pressure the government into paying them more money, a local member of parliament said.
    The government started making promised bonus payments to disgruntled soldiers this week in line with an agreement to end a military mutiny earlier this month, although the payments have angered rival factions and triggered copycat demands.
    Soldiers in other segments of the military revolted in the capital, Yamoussoukro, on Tuesday. At least two soldiers were killed.
    The defence minister said that the government is in touch with members of security forces currently involved in protests.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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