UN chief urges Ouattara to investigate Côte d'Ivoire killings

UN chief urges Ouattara to investigate Côte d'Ivoire killings

2011-04-04 00:34:26 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon late Saturday expressed alarm about reports that pro-Ouattara forces may have killed many civilians in Côte d’Ivoire.

During a telephone conversation with UN-backed presidential claimant Alassane Outtara, the Secretary-General said he was concerned about reports that pro-Ouattara forces may have killed civilians in the town of Duékoué in the west of the country, which they seized earlier this week.

"The Secretary-General said those responsible should be held accountable," Martin Nesirky, the spokesperson for the Secretary-General, said in a statement following the conversation.

Outtara denied his forces were involved and said he had launched an investigation and would welcome an international inquiry into the matter.

The International Committee of the Red Cross reported on Saturday that at least 800 people were killed in Duékoué this week in ongoing fighting between troops loyal to the disputed presidents.

Fighting between the troops has escalated dramatically this week, with reports that those supporting Ouattara are preparing for a final push to oust Laurent Gbagbo, who has refused to step aside following his defeat in the UN-certified presidential election held in November.

Earlier on Saturday, the United Nations urged troops loyal to Ouattara to show restraint amid reports that they allegedly committed serious human rights violations during their advance towards the country's commercial capital of Abidjan.

Pro-Gbagbo forces have also continued to commit violations on a daily basis. On Saturday, four soldiers serving with the UN Operation in Côte d’Ivoire were serious wounded when they came under attack by his forces, a day after the UN troops repulsed another assault by the same armed group.

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