BEIJING, April 11 (Xinhuanet) -- United Nations and French helicopters have reportedly fired missiles at the residence in Abidjan of Cote d'Ivoire's incumbent leader Laurent Gbagbo, who is holed up in a bunker.
UN officials say Sunday's airstrikes were a response to attacks by Gbagbo's forces in recent days on the UN mission's headquarters in Cote d'Ivoire and on civilians.
They say the helicopter attacks targeted Gbagbo's heavy weapons.
Gbagbo has been holed up in the bunker for the past week but his forces have stepped up their resistance.
A spokesman for Gbagbo's faction admitted the air strikes had partially destroyed their leader's residence,blaming France for what they called an assassination attempt.
The UN and French airstrikes came just a day after Gbagbo's fighters attacked the Golf Hotel, the headquarters of his presidential rival Alassane Ouattara, who is internationally recognized as the winner of last year's election.
Earlier in the day, French troops had helped evacuate citizens from neighborhoods across Abidjan, after Gbagbo's forces had fired at French helicopters.
As the military standoff dragged on in the capital, there are also fresh concerns about the tensions developing into deadly violence in the west of Cote d'Ivoire where dozens of bodies have been found in the past few days according to the UN.
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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/video/2011-04/11/c_13823132.htm
UN officials say Sunday's airstrikes were a response to attacks by Gbagbo's forces in recent days on the UN mission's headquarters in Cote d'Ivoire and on civilians.
They say the helicopter attacks targeted Gbagbo's heavy weapons.
Gbagbo has been holed up in the bunker for the past week but his forces have stepped up their resistance.
A spokesman for Gbagbo's faction admitted the air strikes had partially destroyed their leader's residence,blaming France for what they called an assassination attempt.
The UN and French airstrikes came just a day after Gbagbo's fighters attacked the Golf Hotel, the headquarters of his presidential rival Alassane Ouattara, who is internationally recognized as the winner of last year's election.
Earlier in the day, French troops had helped evacuate citizens from neighborhoods across Abidjan, after Gbagbo's forces had fired at French helicopters.
As the military standoff dragged on in the capital, there are also fresh concerns about the tensions developing into deadly violence in the west of Cote d'Ivoire where dozens of bodies have been found in the past few days according to the UN.
Read More
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/video/2011-04/11/c_13823132.htm
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