Aletho News

Ivorian forces storm Gbagbo residence

Press TV – April 6, 2011

Pro-Ouattara forces have surrounded the presidential residence in Abidjan

Forces loyal to Ivorian president-elect Alassane Ouattara say they have launched a final assault on the residents of incumbent Laurent Gbagbo in Abidjan.

Gbagbo has been holed up in a bunker at his home after being cornered by Ouattara followers.

A spokeswoman for Ouattara forces said on Wednesday that pro-Ouattara forces were closing in on the bunker where Gbagbo is hiding.

“Yes they (Ouattara forces) are in the process of entering the residence to seize Gbagbo, they have not taken him yet, but they are in the process, they are in the building,” Reuters quoted Spokesman Affousy Bamba as saying.

Heavy weapons fire and explosions have been heard near Gbagbo’s residence and the presidential palace. Gbagbo has denied reports that he wants to surrender.

This comes after the UN said three generals loyal to Gbagbo are negotiating conditions for his surrender in return for guarantees of his safety.

Meanwhile, France has denied alleged involvement in attacks on Gbagbo’s residence.

While much of the international community has recognized Ouattara as the winner of the vote, Gbagbo refused to cede power. Tensions further escalated after they both claimed victory and appointed separate cabinets.

Hundreds of people have lost their lives since the controversial presidential election in November 2010.

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Cynthia McKinney:

Black Agenda Report | April 5, 2011

When I was in the Congress, I received a phone call from Alassane Ouattara from aboard Henry Kissinger’s yacht. I had received many such calls from people wanting to benefit from my good reputation within the human rights and peace community in the United States and they wanted me to sell their particular potion of iniquity to people inside the United States and to the world. Usually, these people were the kind of people accustomed to buying the consciences of public persons, so my “no” resounded rather sharply to them, and I earned yet another set of crosshairs on my forehead, I guess.

Alassane Ouattara and his Zionist wife, Dominique, were seeking my assistance–or maybe my silence–in his effort to become President of Ivory Coast. I applaud Laurent Gbagbo in his efforts to stave off imperialism in Ivory Coast, one of the few African countries that has not one iota of a relationship with the U.S. military. However, Democracy Now, FOX, CNN, AP, Reuters, and all the rest didn’t tell you that when they ran their many stories about Ivory Coast. While the world will celebrate “democracy” arriving in Ivory Coast once Gbagbo is gone, the exact opposite will actually be the case. Handing Ivory Coast over to Henry Kissinger and his ilk is the policy of the Obama Administration. I guess, President Obama is proving his worth: perhaps no one could have done it better.

April 6, 2011 - Posted by aletho | Aletho News