I Coast 'an SA battlefield'?
2002-12-02 07:08
Pretoria - Renewed fighting in the civil war in the Ivory Coast could
develop into a South African "battlefield" with mercenaries from the country fighting on the sides of both the government and the rebels.
A truce which lasted only six weeks was broken last week and unconfirmed reports have it that there have already been South African casualties.
A Russian Mi-24 helicopter, with some South Africans on board, crashed
during clashes with rebel forces. It is not clear whether the chopper was shot down or what happened to the occupants.
Fighting between troops loyal to President Laurent Gbagbo last month admitted that South African, French and Bulgarian soldiers were helping train soldiers.
The South Africans were especially recruited after the government
bought the Mi-24 helicopters, but did not have pilots to fly them.
The rebels, who have the backing of Liberia and is being supplied weapons by them, reportedly can only be defeated by means of air attacks.
The Liberians are reportedly providing air support and, with the help
of South African mercenaries, providing expertise and training the rebels.
It is not clear how many South Africans are fighting for
the rebels.
According to Beeld sources, the rebels only have a core group of well trained soldiers. This includes the South Africans.
The Ivory Coast government recruited its mercenaries in South Africa last month. An initial group of eight was followed by another 40.
Most of them are former members of the Special Forces, 32nd Battalion, the Selous Scouts and ex Zimbabwean soldiers.
The soldiers earn between $6 000 and $10 000 a month and are on a three-month contract. The contract is renewable.
An informed source told Beeld that the mercenaries had been recruited because the war was expected to be a protracted one.
"The ceasefire was just to enable both the government and rebels to shore up supplies and to train their own forces with the assistance of mercenaries."