Country Report Cote d'Ivoire May 2011

The political scene: Violence continues in Abidjan

The greatest challenge facing Mr Ouattara is restoring peace and security after four months of spiralling violence. Although Mr Gbagbo's military chief, General Philippe Mangou, along with the heads of the police, navy and security services, have pledged their allegiance to Mr Ouattara, there are still numerous armed groups that need to be brought under control. In the days following Mr Gbagbo's capture there were reports of reprisal killings by pro-Ouattara forces in pro-Gbagbo neighbourhoods, notably Yopougon and Kouamassi, and wide-scale looting of government offices, shops and private homes. Disparate groups of pro-Gbagbo Young Patriots continue to operate across Abidjan, triggering sporadic clashes with FRCI and UNOCI patrols. Even more alarming, there have been reports of clashes between the FRCI and local pro-Ouattara forces, known as the "Commando Invisible", which seized control of Abobo in late February and launched a guerrilla war against pro-Gbagbo elements in the city. This force was rumoured to be under the control of Ibrahim Coulibaly ("IB")-who allegedly led a failed coup attempt against the New Forces leader, Guillaume Soro, in December 2007 (January 2008, The political scene)-and following Mr Gbagbo's capture, Mr Coulibaly duly appeared in Abidjan demanding recognition for his forces' role in overthrowing Mr Gbagbo. Fighting between rival pro-Ouattara forces is a major concern for Mr Ouattara, and he has ordered all military forces to return to their barracks while instructing Mr Soro to meet with Mr Coulibaly and resolve any disputes. UNOCI troops are also spearheading efforts to collect the vast array of weaponry distributed to the population or looted during the unrest, disarm numerous informal militias and de-mine several areas of the city, most notably Cocody.

© 2011 The Economist lntelligence Unit Ltd. All rights reserved
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