COTE D'IVOIRE: Forces Push Out Gbagbo Loyalists in New Attacks
Gunfire has been reported in the northern suburbs of Abidjan, the commercial capital of Ivory Coast, as Alassane Ouattara, the Ivorian president, continues his attempt to re-establish security after weeks of violence.
The shooting in the northern Yopougon neighbourhood on Wednesday was said to be part of an offensive by Ouattara forces against armed groups loyal to Laurent Gbagbo, the deposed president.
"Since 4am local time we have been hearing heavy firing and loud explosions. We were forced to flee the neighbourhood very early," the AFP news agency quoted a Yopougon resident as saying.
"An FRCI soldier told us that they had come to dislodge pro-Gbagbo's Liberian militia who are still hiding in Yopougon," another resident said, using the acronym for Ouattara's forces. Al Jazeera (20 April 2011)