Ivory Coast: December 29, 2002

Archives

  Far West Ivorian Popular Movement [MPIGO] rebels clashed with a 2nd Foreign Legion Paratrooper Regiment outpost north west of Duekoue. Fire from 81mm mortars and three Sagaie wheeled armored vehicles drove the rebels off after 30 seconds, without casualties on either side. It was the second clash in two days. 

A rebel leader soon apologized for the clashes and claimed that the French were fired on by mistake, but also accused them of tolerating government mercenaries in Duekoue. He swore that there were no Ivorian soldiers in the town, only hired fighters. 

If rebel units can bypass Duekoue, their path to the coast would be open and the situation could get even uglier. A large French community lives in San Pedro, the country's second largest port where a good proportion of Ivory Coast's cocoa is shipped and an obvious rebel objective. - Adam Geibel

 

Article Archive

Ivory Coast: Current 2012 2011 2010 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002

X

ad

Help Keep Us From Drying Up

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling.

Each month we count on your contributions. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage.
Subscribe   Contribute   Close