The battle continues in Abidjan between the armed forces of Ouattara and Gbagbo 0704111

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Defense News - Ivory Coast
 

Thursday, April 07, 2011, 08:43 AM

 
The battle continues in Abidjan between the forces of Ouattara and Gbagbo.
 
 
Ivory Coast’s cornered Laurent Gbagbo is under siege in his residence in Abidjan after his troops fended off yesterday’s attack by his rival’s forces. At this time Gbagbo is always in the residence of the president of the Ivory Coast Republic.
     
Ivory Coast’s cornered Laurent Gbagbo is under siege in his residence in Abidjan after his troops fended off yesterday’s attack by his rival’s forces. At this time Gbagbo is always in the residence of the president of the Ivory Coast Republic.
Pro-Ouattara fighters of the Republican Force of Ivory Coast ride an armoured vehicle BMP-2 as they prepare for an assault on the residence of Ivory Coast strongman Laurent Gbagbo in Abidjan,
on April 6, 2011.

     

But although Alassane Ouattara’s men were repelled by soldiers and remnants of Gbagbo’s heavy weaponry, they claim to have re grouped, waiting to try again.

The incumbent president continues to insist he won the election, despite international recognition of Mr Ouattara's victory. Mr Gbagbo says Mr Ouattara's troops want to kill him but they say they have strict orders to capture him alive.

Late on Wednesday, French helicopters moved in to evacuate the Japanese ambassador, Okamura Yoshifumi, and his aides after his home near the presidential residence was invaded by unidentified gunmen. During the operation, French forces exchanged fire with fighters defending Mr Gbagbo's residence.

It was not clear if the gunmen were part of the forces defending the nearby presidential residence or the attacking forces loyal to Mr Ouattara.


France has troops in the country alongside UN peacekeepers, attempting to maintain security around Abidjan under the terms of a UN Security Council resolution.

The battle for Abidjan has now been raging for a week and it is unsafe for many of the city's four million people to go outside.