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Gunmen attack police bases in Ivory Coast

Posted on: Sunday, 24 July 2005, 13:30 CDT

By Ange Aboa and Peter Murphy

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Gunmen attacked a police station in a town in Ivory Coast on Sunday after killing five military policemen and seizing weapons in a night raid in the main city Abidjan, the army said.

Residents fled as the army sent troops to regain control of the town of Agboville, where up to 2,000 prisoners escaped when the unidentified gunmen attacked a prison during the chaos.

The raid underlined the risks to a fragile peace process intended to end a civil war that broke out in 2002. Elections are planned for the West African country in October.

It was unclear who launched the assault, which took place in the government-controlled south. Rebels who control the north of the world's top cocoa grower declined to make immediate comment.

"The situation in Agboville is not yet under control because there's still sporadic shooting, but we don't know whether there is actual fighting between the attackers and the army, which is trying to liberate the town," said a military source.

"Combat units have been sent to the town, but we're afraid this might be a diversion so we're being careful and keeping an eye on the situation in Abidjan," he said.

Residents said heavy firing broke out in the town at about 5.00 p.m. (1730 GMT), but it was unclear who was shooting.

Reuters reporters on the 70-km (45-mile) road from Abidjan to Agboville had earlier seen a convoy of about 10 army lorries with troops heading toward the town, along with armored vehicles and trucks mounted with heavy weapons.

The raid began late on Saturday when gunmen attacked a military police base in Abidjan's Anyama suburb, killing five military policemen, before fleeing north to Agboville in the darkness, the army said.

"The forces of defense and security are currently working to regain control of the situation," the army said in a statement.

The attacks appeared to have also claimed the life of a sixth member of the security forces when the attackers shot him at a roadblock between Abidjan and Agboville, witnesses said.

RESIDENTS FLEE

"The town is emptying," said a resident in Agboville contacted by telephone. "Lots of local people are leaving the town to take refuge in nearby villages which they think are safer," he said.

Villagers living near the road could be seen gathering under trees, loading weapons and setting up roadblocks, mobilising self-defense units in case of further clashes, witnesses said.

Ivory Coast is entering a delicate phase of its peace process as rebels prepare to start a long-delayed disarmament process, due to be completed before the planned elections. Rebels are due to begin registering for the scheme on July 31.

President Laurent Gbagbo invoked constitutional powers to pass laws governing nationality and the election commission this month in line with a peace accord, meeting a key rebel demand, although mistrust between government and rebels remains high.

The U.N. peacekeeping mission (ONUCI) in the country said it had sent personnel to Agboville to assess the situation.

"ONUCI vigorously condemns this unjustifiable action which puts important progress in the peace process at risk," the mission said in a statement.

A Western diplomat said the raid did not appear to bear any obvious hallmarks of rebel involvement and might be linked to elements within the government who wanted to maintain a climate of mistrust, although there was no way to verify the theory.

"I wonder if this isn't manipulation to maintain the climate of tension until the elections so that they take place in conditions which guarantee victory for the president," he said.

Source: REUTERS

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