Some major events have occurred recently in the on-again, off-again civil war in the Ivory Coast that haven't received a lot of attention by the elite media. The war is between the existing government led by President Gbagbo in the southern part of the country and the rebels in the north. During the summer of 2003, a ceasefire was declared and it has been tenuously enforced since that time by about 4,000 French soldiers and 6,000 UN peacekeepers.
Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire)
In an attempt to reunite the country, last Thursday, Nov. 4, the government targeted a rebel camp in the northern city of Bouake for aerial bombing. War planes commenced daily air strikes against the rebels.
On Saturday, Nov. 6, an air strike killed nine French soldiers. Although the government claimed it was an accident, French President Jacques Chirac decided to retaliate and ordered the destruction of the entire Ivorian Air Force, which occurred.
After the French attack on Saturday,
[A] pro-government mob, armed with machetes and found weapons, went door-to-door seeking French citizens. They set fire to a French school in Abidjan and shouted, "Everybody, get your Frenchman."No reports of casualties yet. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council met and demanded a stop to all military action.
On Sunday, Nov. 7, rioting continued and President Chirac ordered more troops and fighter planes to West Africa. President Gbagbo publicly called for restraint. The UN supported the French military actions and is considering sanctions on the Ivory Coast. To the Security Council, France is proposing an arms embargo, travel restrictions, and a freeze on overseas assets.
Earlier this morning, the situation is described as a fragile calm.
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