I Coast: Return to war feared
2004-11-05 13:49
Abidjan - Loyalist mobs urged Ivory Coast's military on to more attacks, while international leaders were appealing for restraint on Friday after government warplanes reopened hostilities in the West African nation's civil war, bombing rebels' northern stronghold.
The United Nations Security Council, fearing a return to full-scale war that would threaten its peace efforts across the region, called the attacks "grave" and "worrying" after an emergency meeting late on Thursday.
The United Nations suspended all humanitarian work in Ivory Coast and condemned what it called Ivory Coast's "major" violations of a more than year-old cease fire.
The United States denounced the renewed violence, saying that peace violators would face consequences.
Surprise attacks
Condemnation came after Ivory Coast mounted surprise attacks Thursday on Bouake, the largest city of the north and rebels' main base since civil war divided Ivory Coast in September 2002.
Warplanes returned for at least four more attacks by day's end. A relief group, Medicins sans Frontieres, reported at least 39 gravely injured, including 14 civilians. The group said it was sure others had been killed but could not say how many.
Another international organization, Human Rights Watch, said casualties were believed to include several civilians killed when warplanes attacked vehicles at a rebel-controlled checkpoint.
Ivory Coast's government showed no sign of backing down.
"Stand up, with everyone behind us, and let us liberate the country," Army chief of staff General Matthias Doue assured a loyalist throng of 3 000 in the commercial capital, Abidjan. "Liberate Bouake!" mobs answered.
Loyalist mobs elsewhere in the city attacked unarmed UN personnel and burned two of their vehicles, Human Rights Watch said. Crowds also stormed opposition newspapers, burning the offices of at least one.
Rare briefing
Ivory Coast, the world's top cocoa producer and West Africa's former economic powerhouse, has been split into rebel north and government south since a September 2002 coup attempt launched the country into civil war.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan gave a rare briefing to the Council about the violence, underscoring the importance he gives Ivory Coast, linchpin in a region where the United Nations maintains its largest deployment of peacekeepers.
About 6 000 UN peacekeepers have been deployed in Ivory Coast itself, along with 4 000 French troops, jointly patrolling the front lines that divide the nation.
Ivory Coast had stood as West Africa's single-most stable and prosperous country for decades, welcoming in millions of mostly Muslim immigrants from neighbouring northern countries. - AP
- SAPA