| Submit your comments on this article | |
| Africa Subsaharan | |
| French forces take over Abidjan airport | |
| 2011-04-03 | |
Fighting continues between Mr Gbagbo's troops and supporters of his rival, UN-recognised President Alassane Ouattara. The city's pro-Gbagbo TV station called for people to mobilise against the French '"occupation". Mr Ouattara's forces are reported to be planning a further advance towards the presidential palace and have imposed a curfew on the city. UN spokesman Hamadoun Toure told the BBC he had heard gunfire near the palace, adding that the situation was very tense. France has sent an extra 300 soldiers to Ivory Coast, defence ministry spokesman Thierry Burkhard said, taking the total French force to about 1,400. The airport had been secured by UN troops since Friday, but the French move meant the airport was now able to re-open, Mr Burkhard told the BBC. The aim of the reinforcement was "to take control over the airport which was also done in co-ordination with the UN mission, to allow the re-opening of this airport to civilian airlines and military flights", he said. Mr Burkhard added that the force's mission remained primarily the protection of French nationals, who were being threatened by looters. "We are currently experiencing in Abidjan a security vacuum because the Ivorian security forces, which until now followed the orders of Mr Gbagbo, answered in great numbers the rallying call made by President Ouattara," he said. There were no immediate plans to start evacuating foreigners, he said, though about 1,600 were sheltering in a French army camp. They include about 700 French nationals, some 600 Lebanese citizens and 60 Europeans of assorted nationalities, French media report. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #3 since we are not threatened by the IC, nor do we have a strategic national interest, I'd say the odds are 100% on her urging intervention I'd disagree. Gbagbo is Christian and he's losing. What's not to like (from Powers's standpoint)? We can look forward to an end to the media's coverage of Ivory Coast once Gbagbo's French-backed Muslim opponent wins and starts massacring Christians. The slaughter is already beginning. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2011-04-03 19:34 |
| #2 Nah. She has her eye on moving east to box in Israel to the advantage of the Palestinians. Through the UN of course, to make it 'legal' and 'moral'. |
| Posted by: lotp 2011-04-03 15:24 |
| #1 Wonder if Samantha Powers will demand that we intervene in the Ivory Coast? since we are not threatened by the IC, nor do we have a strategic national interest, I'd say the odds are 100% on her urging intervention |
| Posted by: Frank G 2011-04-03 14:57 |