|
French evacuations in Ivory Coast
France is to begin evacuating its nationals from Ivory Coast after days of anti-French demonstrations. The disturbances come in response to France's destruction of the Ivorian air force, in retaliation for the deaths of nine French peacekeepers on Saturday. They have also accompanied the renewal of the country's civil war, which the UN says has prompted 5,000 people to flee to Liberia. South African President Thabo Mbeki is making efforts to start peace talks. "It is on a voluntary basis. We are not going to evacuate all our French citizens because they are too many," French Embassy spokesman Francois Guenon told Associated Press. An aircraft was due to leave the French military base near the commercial capital, Abidjan with 270 people on board on Wednesday morning, French military spokesman Colonel Henry Auusavy told AFP news agency. Mr Guenon said they expected to evacuate up to 8,000 French nationals.
Posted by: Steve 2004-11-10 |
|
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=48351 |