UN condemns killing of about 12 civilians in Côte d'Ivoire

UN condemns killing of about 12 civilians in Côte d'Ivoire

2011-03-30 01:40:46 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) on Wednesday condemned the killing of at least 12 civilians in the capital city Abidjan.

In addition, UNOCI informed that one of its helicopters was shot by forces loyal to elected president Alassane Ouattara who defeated in the 2010 presidential elections former President Laurent Gbagbo.

According to the UN mission, elements of the Forces Républicaines de Côte d’Ivoire (FRCI), loyal to Ouattara, fired at the helicopter but failed to hit it. UNOCI considered the attack a war crime.

The attack occurred while the UN aircraft was flying above the western Ivorian town of Duékoué where fierce fighting took palce in recent days between FRCI and forces loyal to Gbagbo.

In Abidjan, pro-Gbagbo forces shot at innocent civilians in the suburb of Williamsville on Monday. At least 12 innocent people were killed. Furthermore, a group of pro-Gbagbo youths burned a man alive in the Riviera area of Abidjan while another gang savagely attacked two UNOCI staff members.

"UNOCI condemns this wave of atrocities against civilians and warns that these acts will not go unpunished," said the mission in a statement. "With the increase in human rights violations and barbaric practices, there are grounds for wondering whether President Gbagbo is still in charge of his forces and supporters."

Also on Monday, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) informed that as many as 1 million people have been displaced from their homes due to the post-electoral violence in the North African country.

UNOCI has directed its 9,000 peacekeepers to protect citizens at all costs as more than 93,000 people have fled to the neighboring Liberia to the west while over a million people have been internally displaced due to the deteriorating security situation and the escalation in the use of heavy weapons against civilians.

The UN Human Rights Council on Friday decided to send an independent international commission of inquiry to Côte d’Ivoire to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding allegations of serious rights abuses.

"UNOCI believes it is imperative to end this spiral of violence by finding a definitive solution to the political impasse which stemmed from the post-electoral crisis."

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