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Ivory Coast rebels kill two French soldiers
Hat tip to Instapundit - and his note of a French QuagmireRebels have shot and killed two French soldiers in Ivory Coast, it was reported today, marking Franceâs first combat deaths in its former colony since the start of a major peacekeeping operation there in January. A third French soldier was wounded in the exchange of gunfire late yesterday, according to Lt Col Jerome Salle, a French military spokesman. He said the French returned fire in the clash, and believed at least one rebel was killed. Rebel spokesman Antoine Beugre said his organisation knew nothing about the incident. "Weâre looking into it," he said. "I can say no more" France has 4,000 troops in Ivory Coast, where it is leading efforts to restore peace after war broke out last September following a failed coup. The conflict was officially declared over in July, but tensions remain high. Yesterdayâs clash occurred in a buffer zone in the centre of the country, where peacekeeping troops are deployed between rebel forces to the north and government forces to the south. ahhhhh the meat in the sandwich The French troops were taking part in newly launched patrols to secure Lake Kossou, south of the rebel stronghold of Bouake. They came ashore shortly before sunset in the village of Sakassou, and were talking with villagers when "well-armed rebels" in a pick-up truck pulled up. The rebels appeared to be drunk or on drugs, Lt Col Salle said, as is often case among combatants in West Africa. drunk or on drugs applies to a lot of combatants world-wide There was a heated exchange and the rebels opened fire as the French prepared to turn and leave the scene, according to the spokesman. One soldier was hit in the head, the other in the chest. The extent of the third soldierâs injuries were not known. Lt Col Salle called the attackers "uncontrolled elements" on the rebel side. The clash "does nothing to change the mission of the French army in Ivory Coast," he said. He also insisted the clash had nothing to do with the arrests in France over the weekend of at least 10 people alleged to have been plotting to destabilise the country. destabilize France? Were they Chirac and De Villepin? Why havenât we heard about this? Posted by: Frank G 2003-08-26 |
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