UN condemns ambush on peacekeepers in Côte d’Ivoire

[News_Editor]

UN condemns ambush on peacekeepers in Côte d’Ivoire

2011-01-13 11:41:57 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- The United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) on Wednesday condemned the ambush on its peacekeepers by supporters of former President Laurent Gbagbo.

On Tuesday night, an UNOCI team was returning from patrolling the Abobo suburb when armed forces loyal to Gbagbo ambushed them. The peacekeepers were shot and three UN police and military personnel were slightly injured.

UNOCI deployed the team to Abobo after several hundred men in black uniforms reportedly began shooting and forced residents out of their houses. Two UNOCI patrols tried to reach the area but were blocked by people at checkpoints.

The ambush happened one day after Gbagbo's supporters stopped and looted a UNOCI convoy which was on its way back to the Golf Hotel. The tourist facility is currently used as the headquarters of the forces supporting president-elect Alassane Ouattara.

The West African country is on the verge of a modern civil war after Gbagbo rejected the results from the presidential elections which were ratified by the United Nations. However, Gbagbo directed a Constitutional Council to annul votes from some regions and was declared winner.

The UN informed it receives daily reports of incitement to hatred and violence, human rights violations and attacks against civilians and peacekeepers. Many countries and international agencies have urged Gbagbo to desist power.

The African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have announced that they are considering a military intervention to remove Gbagbo and his allies.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will send next week a request to the Security Council for additional forces for UNOCI. Ban is considering the deployment of between 1,000 and 2,000 additional peacekeepers. UNOCI currently has 9,000 blue helmets.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) recently imposed financial sanctions on a selected group of Ivorian politicians, including Gbagbo. The sanctions were imposed for their recent actions threatening the peace and national reconciliation process in Côte d'Ivoire.

On January 1, Gbagbo failed to comply with a deadline to transfer power peacefully, which resulted in the gathering of military commanders in order to plan a military intervention to remove the former president if needed by the 15-nation ECOWAS.

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