IVORY COAST: Plumes of smoke rise over Abidjan as presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara says his forces are at "the gates" of the city

Record ID: 181650

  • Title: IVORY COAST: Plumes of smoke rise over Abidjan as presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara says his forces are at "the gates" of the city
  • Date: 1st April 2011
  • Summary: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (MARCH 31, 2011) (REUTERS) ABIDJAN CITY CENTRE, WITH SMOKE SEEN IN BACKGROUND MORE OF CITY CENTRE WITH BRIDGE SEEN, SMOKE IN BACKGROUND VARIOUS OF SMOKE EMPTY ROAD, NO PEOPLE IN ROAD VARIOUS OF CITY CENTRE WITH LAGOON SEEN AND EMPTY STREETS
  • Embargoed: 16th April 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cote d'Ivoire
  • Country: Ivory Coast
  • Topics: War / Fighting,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA8FTKR7ODGYHZ1CTLZ9PMH7C14
  • Story Text: Smoke was seen over the empty Abidjan streets on Thursday (March 31) as rebels loyal to presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara were said to be at the "gates" of the city.
    Reuters witnesses in Ivory Coast's main city, incumbent Laurent Gbagbo's last remaining stronghold, said the streets were virtually empty and gunfire could be heard overnight and on Thursday morning, but it was not clear who was involved.
    Forces loyal to Ouattara seized the major cocoa port of San Pedro, extending a nationwide offensive that has left Gbagbo isolated in Abidjan.
    In a blow to Gbagbo, his army chief of staff, General Phillippe Mangou, sought refuge in the South African ambassador's residence in the city.
    A South African spokesman denied rumours that Gbagbo was on the way to South Africa.
    Residents and combatants from both sides said the pro-Ouattara forces were in control of western port town of San Pedro, and that it was now largely calm apart from some sporadic shooting.
    Ouattara called on the remaining loyalists of his rival Gbagbo to switch sides to prevent further suffering.
    Gbagbo has resisted pressure from the African Union and the West to step down since a presidential election last November, which U.N.-certified results showed he lost to Ouattara by an 8-point margin, sparking a deadly power struggle.
    But forces loyal to Ouattara launched an offensive this week on three fronts, and towns across the country fell, mostly without resistance, one after another as they swept south.
    Cocoa prices have fallen about 9 percent since on the push. The capture of San Pedro, which ships half of the top grower's beans, could, in theory, mean a resumption in exports.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register