UN Vehicles Attacked in Ivory Coast

Supporters of Ivory Coast’s incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo have torched two UN vehicles and damaged three others in the city of Abidjan.

The UN mission in Ivory Coast (UNOCI) said in a statement on Thursday that forces loyal to Gbagbo also set an ambulance on fire in one of those incidents. 

“Two UNOCI vehicles were burnt and three others were damaged, including an ambulance,” the statement read. 

“The sick person the ambulance was taking to hospital was injured in the head,” it added. 

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the attacks by Gbagbo’s supporters. 

“The secretary general is deeply concerned that regular and irregular forces loyal to Mr Gbagbo have begun to attack and burn United Nations vehicles,” UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said. 

However, Gbagbo’s supporters accuse the UN peacekeeping mission in the country of backing president-elect Alassane Ouattara. 

They also insist that the world body is inciting violence in the West African nation. 

The Ivory Coast has been operating with two presidents and two governments since its disputed presidential election on November 28th. 

After polls closed, the country’s electoral commission declared Ouattara as the winner. But, Gbagbo has refused to give up power, citing irregularities in the vote. 

Some 200 people, including six police officers, have died in post-election violence so far. 


Articles by: Global Research

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