UN, France strike military targets in Ivory Coast
United Nations and French helicopters have carried out strikes against military targets belonging to incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo in the Ivory Coast, as forces loyal to president-elect Alassane Ouattara conduct a final offensive to capture the country's main city of Abidjan.
Forces loyal to Ouattara, the internationally recognised winner of disputed presidential elections last November, stepped up fighting in the city late on Monday evening (4 April), with reports of renewed gunfire on Tuesday morning.
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A spokesman for Ouattara said they had captured the presidential palace but were still looking for Gbagbo. The opposition denied the reports.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the attacks were not a declaration of war against Gbagbo but were ordered instead to defend civilians, citing UN Security Council resolution 1975 of 30 March 2011.
"This is a direct consequence of Mr Gbagbo's refusal to relinquish power and allow a peaceful transition," said the UN chief, whose forces have also come under repeated attack in the west African country. "The country has been plunged into violence with a heavy toll on the civilian population."
The UN peacekeeping force in the Ivory Coast numbers 9,000.
Earlier on Monday, EU humanitarian aid commissioner Kristalina Georgieva warned of "mounting civilian casualties and over a million people fleeing their homes in search of safety."
Former colonial power France authorised its military to participate in the UN operation, with the Elysee Palace saying the attacks were aimed at neutralising Gbagbo's heavy weapons capacity. An estimated 12,000 French citizens currently reside in the Ivory Coast, with the French military setting up three 'safe zones' in recent days, ahead of potential evacuations.
A spokesman for EU high representative Catherine Ashton said the EU's foreign policy supremo supported the measures. "The UN has a mandate to protect citizens and we support them in that," Michael Mann told this website on Tuesday, refusing to be drawn on whether Ashton had prior knowledge of the strikes.
In a statement last week, Ashton said those responsible for human rights abuses "will be held responsible before international justice," amid conflicting reports of between 300 and 1,000 civilians deaths near the western town of Duekoue.
"It is very hard to work out who did what," a senior EU official said on Monday on condition of anonymity.
"The situation is very murky," they continued at a Brussels briefing. "I think we should not exaggerate the degree of control either side has over their supporters."
The official said Gbagbo had rejected multiple exit strategies from international actors, including the African Union, in recent weeks.
Pro-Ouattara forces swept down from their northern stronghold last week after months of sporadic violence, but have faced strong resistance in Abidjan where five days of fighting has left many residents without food or water.
The attackers now say they hope the offensive will be over in 48 hours, although analysts predict the fighting is likely to be more drawn out.