IVORY COAST: Gunfight continues as French forces move towards Gbagbo residence in Ivory Coast

Record ID: 181669

  • Title: IVORY COAST: Gunfight continues as French forces move towards Gbagbo residence in Ivory Coast
  • Date: 11th April 2011
  • Summary: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (APRIL 11, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS PEOPLE WALKING IN THE STREET - WITH GUN SOUND HEARD VARIOUS OF STREET SCENES, SMOKE IN THE SKY, AUDIO OF GUNFIGHT MORE OF STREET, PEOPLE WALKING, CAR MOVING VARIOUS FRENCH HELICOPTER IN SKY VARIOUS OF BULLET IMPACTS ON BUILDING VARIOUS OF WOMEN WALKING IN THE STREET WITH SHOPPING VARIOUS OF EMPTY STREET WITH AUDIO OF GUNFIRE HEARD
  • Embargoed: 26th April 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cote d'Ivoire
  • Country: Ivory Coast
  • Topics: War / Fighting,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAEJ8EHGA0EGX6VGJS5YXVTMN9O
  • Story Text: Some Abidjan residents came out of hiding despite gunfire still being heard, in search of food and water on Monday (April 11).
    Over a week of fierce fighting have left people in Abidjan with no money, as prices for food staples doubled, tripled and in some cases increased five times.
    A column of more than 30 French armoured vehicles was seen advancing towards the residence of Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo by a Reuters witness.
    A day after U.N. and French helicopters attacked forces loyal to Gbagbo, damaging the presidential residence in Abidjan and destroying heavy weapons, a French military spokesman said the aim of the current operation was to avoid a "bloodbath" but declined to give further details.
    Gbagbo has refused to step down after his rival Alassane Ouattara won last November's presidential election, according to results certified by the United Nations, reigniting a civil war that has claimed more than a thousand lives and uprooted a million people.
    Residents reported heavy fighting on Monday morning between forces loyal to Ouattara and those backing Gbagbo around Abidjan's Cocody and Plateau districts, still controlled by forces loyal to Gbagbo.
    The French armoured vehicles, each carrying between four to eight men, left their base in the south and headed towards downtown Abidjan early on Monday.
    Helicopter attacks a week ago on Gbagbo's heavy weapons by the United Nations and France appeared to bring Gbagbo's forces to the point of surrender, but they used a lull in fighting to regroup before taking more ground in Abidjan.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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