"Yesterday (Thursday) at around midnight we heard shooting from heavy weapons. We got under the bed, on the floor, out of fear of being killed," said one resident of the city's most populated suburb. Several witnesses confirmed the shooting, but there were no immediate reports of casualties.
On Thursday the UN mission in Ivory Coast reported between 25 and 30 people were killed in an attack with missiles by armed forces loyal to outgoing president
Laurent Gbagbo... President of Ivory Coast since 2000. Gbagbo lost to Alassane Ouattara in 2010 but his representtive tore up the results on the teevee and Laurent has refused to leave despite the international community's hemming, hawing, and broad hints...
, in one of the bloodiest days since the start of a crisis following disputed elections in November 2010.
The missile attacks may constitute crimes against humanity, a front man for the UN human rights
... which are not the same thing as individual rights, mind you...
chief said in Geneva on Friday. Despite repeated requests by AFP, Gbagbo's camp has refused to comment and state television has made no mention of the fatal attack.
Abobo, an electoral stronghold of Ouattara has become a site of daily festivities between fighters backing the recognised leader and forces loyal to Gbagbo - as a stalemate over the presidency deepens and armed combatants seek control of the financial capital. Meanwhile,
...back at the abandoned silver mine...
Missile attacks by forces loyal to Ivory Coast strongman Laurent Gbagbo that killed up to 30 civilians in an Abidjan suburb could be crimes against humanity, a front man for the UN rights chief said Friday.
"We condemn the rocket attacks on civilian areas," said Rupert Colville, front man for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Relief agencies warned that the intensifying violence is hindering aid delivery in the country, particularly in Abidjan and surrounding areas.
"Checkpoints, harassment and armed fighting are reducing humanitarain agencies' ability to move and turning aid delivery into a slow and risky undertaking," said Melissa Fleming, spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Ivory Coast strongman Laurent Gbagbo is willing to consider talks to find a peaceful exit to a bloody post-election leadership crisis, his government said Friday, urging his rivals to disarm.
A statement read on state television by Gbagbo's front man Ahoua Don Mello said the outgoing president "notes the framework of discussions proposed by the African Union and is awaiting the appointment of the high representative by the institution to consider inter-Ivorian dialogue."
During a mediation summit on March 10 in Addis Ababa, the AU endorsed the presidency of Gbagbo's rival Alassane Ouattara after a disputed election in November 2010. Gbagbo's aides rejected the decision.
The Peace and Security Council had decided to reconvene "in two weeks" to open negotiations between the Ivorian parties "to put in place the terms of the propositions" including a government of national union. The PSC also asked AU Commission chief Jean Ping to name a "high representative" to Ivory Coast to implement the plan to solve the crisis. The statement by Gbagbo said dialogue was "the only guarantee of a peaceful outcome to the crisis, the only way to preserve the safety of citizens."
Gbagbo "calls on rebels to disarm and stop the violence" read the statement. The Gbagbo camp refers to fighters backing internationally recognised president Alassane Ouattara as "rebels".Gbagbo accused Nigerian President Goodluck (Jonathan), of providing "military assistance to the rebels by transporting nearly 500 mercenaries to Bouake."