1 000 French soldiers to leave
2004-12-09 19:09
Paris - France is gradually withdrawing 1 000 soldiers from Ivory Coast who were sent as reinforcements during violence that erupted last month, the defence ministry said Thursday.
The withdrawal, expected to be completed in the coming days, would return the number of French peacekeepers in the West African nation to about 4 000, a ministry official said, speaking on customary condition of anonymity.
Violence erupted on November 6 when President Laurent Gbagbo launched surprise bombing attacks on the rebel-held north for three days, citing insurgents' failure to disarm.
An air strike that day killed nine French peacekeepers and an American aid worker.
French troops retaliated by destroying the country's tiny air force, sparking anti-foreigner riots by loyalist youth in the south and brief, unprecedented battles between French and Ivory Coast forces.
The defence ministry said it had started withdrawing the reinforcements in last week, after the peak of the violence had passed.
- AP