Ivory Coast's Gbagbo Detained
Defiant Ivory Coast leader Laurent Gbagbo has been captured at his Abidjan residence, after an assault by French and U.N. forces, and fighters of his rival, Alassane Ouattara.
A spokesman for the Ouattara forces, Seydou Ouattara, told VOA French to Africa service that Gbagbo was captured after an assault on the residence Monday and taken to Ouattara's headquarters at the Golf Hotel.
French armored vehicles had been seen advancing on the residence ahead of Gbagbo's capture. The French embassy in Ivory Coast and Ouattara representatives in New York say it was Ouattara's men who detained the incumbent president.
Gbagbo has refused for months to cede power to Ouattara, the U.N.-certified winner of last November's presidential election. He had been entrenched at the Abidjan residence with a band of loyal fighters.
Ouattara's ambassador to the U.N. told reporters Monday that Gbagbo is alive, well, and will be brought to justice.
Human Rights Watch has accused Gbagbo forces of killing hundreds of civilians during the four-month power struggle that culimated in Monday's fighting. The group has also accused pro-Ouattara forces of killing and raping civilians, and said Ouattara should open an impartial probe into the violence once he assumes power.
Monday's capture came after new airstrikes by French and U.N. helicopters. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the airstrikes were aimed at Gbagbo forces' heavy weapons, after civilians and U.N. personnel continued to be the targets of attacks.
Sarkozy called the humanitarian situation in several Abidjan neighborhoods "alarming." The city has endured several months of fighting since the election dispute began in early December.
The U.N. said the conflict displaced some 1 million Ivorians, with more than 100,000 fleeing to neighboring Liberia.
fuente: http://www.voanews.com/
A spokesman for the Ouattara forces, Seydou Ouattara, told VOA French to Africa service that Gbagbo was captured after an assault on the residence Monday and taken to Ouattara's headquarters at the Golf Hotel.
French armored vehicles had been seen advancing on the residence ahead of Gbagbo's capture. The French embassy in Ivory Coast and Ouattara representatives in New York say it was Ouattara's men who detained the incumbent president.
Gbagbo has refused for months to cede power to Ouattara, the U.N.-certified winner of last November's presidential election. He had been entrenched at the Abidjan residence with a band of loyal fighters.
Ouattara's ambassador to the U.N. told reporters Monday that Gbagbo is alive, well, and will be brought to justice.
Human Rights Watch has accused Gbagbo forces of killing hundreds of civilians during the four-month power struggle that culimated in Monday's fighting. The group has also accused pro-Ouattara forces of killing and raping civilians, and said Ouattara should open an impartial probe into the violence once he assumes power.
Monday's capture came after new airstrikes by French and U.N. helicopters. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the airstrikes were aimed at Gbagbo forces' heavy weapons, after civilians and U.N. personnel continued to be the targets of attacks.
Sarkozy called the humanitarian situation in several Abidjan neighborhoods "alarming." The city has endured several months of fighting since the election dispute began in early December.
The U.N. said the conflict displaced some 1 million Ivorians, with more than 100,000 fleeing to neighboring Liberia.
fuente: http://www.voanews.com/
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