UK troops on standby to I Coast
2004-11-10 22:00
London - British troops are on standby to go to Ivory Coast if they are needed to rescue British nationals from the country's violence, the government said on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Tony Blair's office confirmed that "several hundred" British citizens were involved and a spokesperson said the "usual contingency plans" had been made to evacuate them and British embassy staff from the African country's main city, Abidjan.
More than 100 British troops have been put on standby to fly to the Ivory Coast to secure the route from the British embassy to the airport, if needed.
Blair's official spokesperson said: "There are British nationals in Ivory Coast and as you can imagine we are making the usual contingency plans in case the situation deteriorates further, but that's all I can say at this stage."
International peacekeeping in I Coast
"We will make the usual contingency plans in case we have to evacuate nationals. ... We will judge the situation carefully."
France has taken the lead in international peacekeeping in Ivory Coast, its former colony, since the government of President Laurent Gbagbo broke an 18-month ceasefire with rebels last week.
On Saturday, his government bombed rebel positions, killing nine French soldiers and an American aid worker in the rebel-held north.
That prompted the French forces there to destroy the country's tiny air force, setting off riots.
On Wednesday, France and the United States began evacuating thousands of foreigners trapped by violent attacks targeting French civilians and troops in the West African nation.
- AP