Ivory Coast: February 19, 2003

Archives

Starting at around 7 AM, MPCI forces with machetes raided towns in central Ivory Coast. According to a local Catholic priest, the rebels looted and killed. Several people were beheaded, while others had their hands and feet amputated. Although the MPCI claimed that it knew of no clashes near the central sugar-growing town of Zuenoula, villagers who fled the surrounding countryside also confirmed the attack. Zuenoula is about 300 km northwest of the economic capital Abidjan.

MPCI rebels then engaged the army with RPGs, mortars and Kalachnikovs. The Ivorian military forces responded with heavy artillery. Helicopters then backed ground troops as the army launched what it described as a mopping-up operation. The army admitted that they lost one soldier killed and 12 wounded during the rebel assault. The government has urged the population to not remain in the villages and in the country side but instead to find shelter in the cities and to remain at home. - 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 contribute. 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