New York, Apr 2 2011 12:10PM
The United Nations peacekeeping force in Côte d'Ivoire today reported that one of its patrols was attacked by forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo in a suburb of the city of Abidjan, sparking an exchange of gunfire during which five members of the former president's forces were shot.
None of the soldiers of the UN Operation Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) were hurt during the fire fight with the Special Forces loyal to Mr. Gbagbo, the ex-president who refuses to step down despite his defeat in a runoff presidential election held last November.
The shootout occurred in the Cocody suburb of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire's largest city, on Friday.
"UNOCI wishes to remind all concerned that its peacekeepers are operating under Chapter 7 of the United Nations Charter, which authorises the use of force when under attack," the mission said in a press release.
"UNOCI would also like to reiterate that it does not wish t
o have a confrontation with any of the Ivorian forces," it added.
Troops supporting Alassane Ouattara, the internationally-recognized President of Côte d'Ivoire, reportedly appear poised for a final push to oust Mr. Gbagbo.
The UN human rights yesterday urged forces loyal to Mr. Ouattara to show restraint after reports suggested they have been committing serious rights violations during their advance towards Abidjan.
Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), told a news conference in Geneva of having received "unconfirmed but worrying" reports of human rights violations committed by the pro-Ouattara group known as Forces Républicaines de Côte d'Ivoire (FRCI) during their advance towards Abidjan.
"Reports suggest they have engaged in looting and extortion, as well as serious human rights violations such as abductions, arbitrary arrests and ill-treatment of civilians," he stated.
The Invisible Commando group, which has been fighting
against the forces loyal to Mr. Gbagbo, is also reported to have continued to commit abuses inside Abidjan, he added.
Pro-Gbagbo forces have also continued to commit violations on a daily basis, including the killing of two civilians who were reportedly burnt alive by pro-Gbagbo militiamen in Gagnoa, Mr. Colville noted.
Apr 2 2011 12:10PM
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