twelve.24pm: Our Africa correspondent David Smith, who are going to be answering your inquiries from the remarks section at 1pm, has provided some analysis of the possibilities open to Gbagbo because the web closes about him:
The deputy leader of Ivory Coast's rebel forces told me very last month that they've no intention of killing him, but fairly want him to stand trial with the Worldwide Criminal Court, following the instance of previous president Charles Taylor in neighbouring Liberia. There is certainly rising demand for this from the wake of some hideous human rights abuses around the previous 4 months.
David says converse of Gbagbo, a previous background professor, being presented amnesty and taking up a teaching place within the U.s. is lengthy gone:
But he could however go into exile, probably across the border in Ghana, which was one among the nations that place the brakes on a mooted west African military intervention. Other candidates are Angola, in which president Jose Eduardo dos Santos is definitely an old ally, or Zimbabwe, where president Robert Mugabe always welcomes any opportunity to goad the west. Zimbabwe previously supplies refuge to previous Ethiopian dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam, desired for the notorious 'Red Terror' campaign.
Then there is South Africa, currently a bolthole for both former Madagascan president Marc Ravalomanana and exiled Haitian leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who returned to his homeland previous month. It is really already staying joked that Aristide's high end villa in Pretoria is now
empty and offered for Gbagbo to maneuver in. South Africa angered Gbagbo's rival, Alassane Ouattara, by refusing to take sides in excess of last year's election, whilst it has subsequently arrive on board with all the rest of the African Union in endorsing Ouattara. Even so, by
providing Gbagbo some breathing area, South Africa could fend off internal critics who say it's got turn out to be subservient for the west, not minimum about Libya.
But each of the noises coming out of Gbagbo's bunker these days seem to be to echo Churchill's "in defeat, defiance" - which has a consequence that can resemble Hitler's fate in 1945.
12.15pm: Gbagbo are going to be captured within the subsequent few several hours, in keeping with a spokeswoman for Ouattara. Speaking to CNN she mentioned:
The Republican forces of Cote d'Ivoire are in Laurent Gbagbo's home. I think within just one hour they'll seize Gbagbo. Within 1 hour or two hrs.
She confirmed that a gun battle is happening inside the residence and added that only Republican forces, allayed to Ouattara, are associated with the fighting, not UN or French troops.
11.53am: Ibrahim Coulibaly, a spokesman for that Ivory Coast embassy in France, just told al-Jazeera English Gbabgo is "still in his bunker". He said:
Gbabgo is still denying the result of the election, so right now we decided to go and get him out of his bunker.
Coulibaly mentioned they had no intention of harming Gbagbo but had no other decision than to use force to acquire him from his bunker.
"That's the sole indicates now, we didn't have any alternative. We've got been attempting to negotiate with him."
Coulibaly denied that any French forces are involved with the assault.
eleven.37am: Affoussy Bamba, spokeswoman for that authorities with the president elect, Ouattara, has told France-24 that Gbagbo will be captured "soon". She reported:
At the present minute they have not however captured Gbagbo however it will happen quickly. They opened the gates and noted that the residence is surrounded by serious weaponry. Now the objective is usually to seize him.
Members of Ouattara's forces are reportedly underneath stringent directions from the president-elect's federal government to consider Gbago unharmed.
eleven.18am: Forces loyal to Ouattara are attacking Gbagbo's palace and therefore are preparing to get him from his bunker but the incumbent president even now has some protection protecting him, Selay Koussi reviews within a Skype interview from Abidjan.
From my household I can listen to gunfire. Ouattara forces are firing in the bunker. They stated they'll catch Mr Gbagbo in his property. Gbagbo will not be exhibiting any signal of resigning. Probably only by in this way will he surrender. He is staying secured by a handful of faithful militiamen and protection guards.
We desire for a content ending otherwise it truly is going to be quite tough.
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11.12am: There's a "real danger" that Gbabgo, his wife and other spouse and children members may very well be killed while in the assault to the presidential palace, his European representative Toussaint Alain has advised AP.
Alain claimed French forces are firing from two Puma helicopters and also from the rooftop on the French ambassador's residence close by. He explained:
France is going to be held accountable for that death of President Gbagbo, his wife and relatives members and all individuals that are inside of the residence, which can be staying bombarded through the French army.
French Military Spokesman Thierry Burkhard denied that French forces are firing in the residence.
11.02am: Residents round the presidential palace in Abidjan's Cocody neighbourhood say they have heard hefty gunfire and loud explosions coming in the route on the palace, Reuters studies. Alfred Kouassi, who lives around Gbagbo's residence in Cocody, told the news company:
I have seen from my setting up the FRCI fighters (Ouattara forces) in pick-ups and 4x4 jeeps rushing towards Gbagbo's residence, weapons within their fingers. We can listen to automatic gunfire and in addition the thuds of large weapons coming from the residence.
10.53am: A Gbagbo representative claims French forces are firing within the embattled Ivorian leader's residence, AP reviews.
A French government spokesman has told Reuters its forces will not be participating in on-the-ground fighting round the presidential residence palace.
Dwell blog: Twitter
10.44am: The BBC's Andrew Harding tweets:
I can hear heavy bombardment in Abidjan. Has Gbagbo been haggling also very long in his bunker? Country badly demands relaxed ending to this.
10.41am: Fabrice Zagbayou, a Gbagbo supporter and business enterprise analyst from Abidjan, says he fears for his lifestyle inside existing assault.
Zagbayou, an lively Twitter person inside city, advised the Guardian:
Laurent Gbagbo won the election. We don't need to have bombing, we do not need to have an additional leader. The French army bombed civilians, the French army bombed the president. This isn't democracy. It's not acceptable.
Sounding close to tears he extra:
"The French army say they want to safe Abidjan. It really is incorrect. It can be wrong. We imagine they'll destroy Laurent Gbagbo. Ouattara militia and French troops are shooting now. I'm frightened for my lifestyle. I'm frightened that in case the Ouattara militia find me they'll kill me."
A French government spokesman has mentioned French forces are not taking part in on-the-ground fighting throughout the presidential residence, as outlined by Reuters.
10.36am: Forces loyal to Ouattara have stormed the palace wherever Gbagbo is sheltering in a bunker, a spokeswoman for that forces informed Reuters. Affousy Bamba stated:
Yes they (Ouattara forces) are in the process of entering the residence to seize Gbagbo, they've not taken him nonetheless, but they are from the method, they are from the developing.
ten.22am: There's a beneficial Q&A about the crisis by Richard Downie, deputy director with the Africa programme in the Washington-based Centre for Strategic International Studies.
His answer on what happens future is most pertinent:
By holding out for so very long, Gbagbo has lost any right to negotiate the terms of his exit. In an ideal scenario, he should prepare for the trip to your Worldwide Criminal Court, whose prosecutors happen to be closely monitoring events in Côte d'Ivoire. It remains for being noticed whether another African region might help him escape this fate by offering him a quiet exile.
President Ouattara faces the formidable challenge of healing a deeply divided country in which a sizeable minority openly inquiries his right to govern. Having been denied his right to win control from the nation through the ballot box, he has ultimately claimed it by force. The large fighting of the previous few days has led to excesses by both sides from the conflict. The FRCI has been accused from the Worldwide Committee of your Red Cross of getting involved in a massacre in the town of Duékoué, though Ouattara strongly denies this claim. In addition, the incoming president will inevitably face the politically damaging claim that he was propelled to power by the French, Côte d'Ivoire's previous colonial masters. A
All of these factors dent Ouattara's credibility. For these reasons, his main priority on taking office will probably be to promote national reconciliation. Ouattara will need to act with restraint toward people who opposed him and would be advised to reach out to his erstwhile enemies by including some from the more moderate Gbagbo loyalists in his government. There remains cause for hope despite the challenges. Ivoirian political leaders have shown an impressive capacity to patch up their differences within the past; those skills might be needed again inside coming weeks and months.
ten.08am: The Guardian's stringer, Selay Koussi, says gunfire has restarted in Abidjan after the FRCI, the pro-Outtara forces, announced that they're going to "take Gbagbo from his bunker wherever he's hiding".
They can be heading to the presidential palace.
It appears that they have lost patience with attempts to negotiate Gbagbo's surrender.
10.01am: The Guardian's Africa correspondent David Smith might be taking part in the Q&A while in the remarks segment below at 1pm.
- You may be interested in finding out more about the two sides of the conflict, tribal allegiances, their culpability for war crimes.
- Or you may be interested within the international aspects with the conflict, the role from the UN and/or France and the scope the crisis has to affect other nations from the region.
- Alternatively, you may have concerns about the humanitarian cost with the crisis.
Simply post your question from the comments segment and David will try to respond.
9.51am: Gbagbo is resisting pressure from your United Nations and France to indicator a document renouncing his claim to power, in a further setback to hopes that he will leave office imminently, Reuters studies.
From his bunker where by he's surrounded by troops loyal to Ouattara, Gbagbo told French Radio RFI today:
We are not at the negotiating stage. And my departure from wherever? to go where by?
But Gbagbo government spokesman Ahoua Don Mello, who was taking part in negotiations, informed Reuters the parties are however in talks. He stated:
"Some points are even now getting discussed. Nothing has been signed, Gbagbo has not signed anything."
9.47am: You can find large gunfire close to Gbagbo's residence, France 24 is reporting, citing witnesses. No further details are already given.
9.17am: Gbagbo's refusal to surrender is prompting fears of more violence in Abidjan, our stringer inside city, Selay Koussi, studies. (There may be brief echo on the line at first nevertheless it gets better).
The area is quiet, however it isn't safe because you some have militia men that are however faithful Mr Gbagbo who ransacking shops and supermarkets.
Many many families are running from basic foodstuffs and water.
Many many people imagine the UN and French forces again might restart the bombing to put pressure on him [Gbagbo] to relinquish power. Many people were disappointment that he reported he was not going to recognise Mr Ouattara since the victor from the election. I'm frightened that if French troops and UN forces use helicopters and start firing rockets with the bunker of Mr Gbagbo the violence will raise again. People are very angry throughout Abidjan. They assume that Mr Gbagbo is playing a nasty game along with the global community. They consider he's attempting to get time to escape.
This day is quite crucial. If nothing is done within the following 24 hrs the population might go on towards the streets because these are running out of basic foodstuffs and water. This might bring the country on the verge of equally chaos and collapse.
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9.01am: The Guardian has a story up about Gbagbo's denial that he's preparing to surrender. He informed French news channel LCI:
I won the election and I'm not negotiating my departure. I uncover it absolutely incredible that the entire world is playing this ... game of poker.
He also insisted he had no intention of currently being a martyr:
"I'm not a kamikaze. I love daily life. My voice just isn't the voice of a martyr, no, no, no, I'm not looking for death. It is really not my aim to die."
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8.56am: With most people assuming Gbabgo's surrender is only a matter of time, attention is turning to what will happen after his departure. On Comment is Free, Adekeye Adebajo, director of your Centre for Conflict, writes that each sides have a case to answer:
Each sides are accused of committing atrocities. Gbagbo and Ouattara must thus be place on notice that they'll be held accountable for war crimes committed by their fighters. The financial and travel sanctions recently imposed through the UN on Gbagbo, his Lady Macbethian spouse Simone, and other associates, should also be extended to other peace "spoilers".
French troops must do more than just protect the airport in order to evacuate western nationals in yet one more instance of an "aristocracy of death", in which the lives of foreigners are deemed to get worth more than all those of Africans. In addition, genuine suspicions persist about the stance adopted by pro-Ouattara France, whose previous self-interested interventions in Africa, and continuing support for local autocrats, cast the Gallic power from the role of a fox guarding a hen-house.
Adebajo also says other African nations have an important part to play in post-Gbagbo reconciliation:
Nigeria and South Africa must use their presence about the UN safety council effectively to help craft a peaceful outcome. The African Union should help to negotiate a safe exit for Gbagbo and press Ouattara to bring in his rival's supporters into any future authorities. Nigeria, South Africa and Angola must speak with an individual voice to ensure that any agreement sticks.
8.46am: France's armed forces chief Edouard Guillaud has informed Europe 1 radio that Gbagbo is negotiating his surrender - the president has denied he is doing so - and could quit office in "a matter of hours". He claimed:
They (negotiations) continued through the night but unfortunately I see no breakthrough for now. Despite that, I believe it is actually a matter of several hours, quite possibly during the day.
Guillard also said strikes against Gbagbo's camp could resume with the request on the United Nations and if he continued to refuse to step down.
Earlier, the French foreign minister, Alain Juppe told France Info radio the only thing left to discuss with Gbagbo was his departure. Juppe stated:
"This obstinacy is absurd. Gbagbo has no future henceforth. Everybody's dropped him. He's holed up in his residence. With the United Nations, which can be at the helm, we are heading to continue to exert pressure on him to face up to reality."
8.36am: Since the standoff on the presidential palace continues, the pro-Ouattara television station TCI has been putting pressure on Gbagbo/mocking the incumbent president by playing extracts from Downfall, the film about Adolf Hitler's final days in his bunker in Berlin.
How lengthy will it be before someone creates a Gbagbo-inspired parody in the famous scene the place Hitler launches into a furious tirade upon finally realizing that the war is truly lost?
8.23am: Good morning. Welcome to dwell coverage of events inside Ivory Coast. Here's a summary from the latest developments:
• President Laurent Gbago remains holed up in the bunker with his relatives and a handful of supporters at his palace in Abidjan. Forces loyal to his rival, Alassane Ouattara, surrounded his household on Tuesday after UN helicopters attacked Gbagbo's arms stockpiles and bases.
• Gbago's spokesman, the UN and the French have all mentioned the incumbent president is negotiating his surrender. However, inside of a telephone interview with French news channel LCI, the incumbent president insisted "no decision has but been taken".
• A ceasefire declared by Gbagbo's generals in Abidjan yesterday appears to become holding, although the UN says there has been "sporadic shooting" by gangs of youths not allied to either the incumbent president or his rival.
• There are fears of a humanitarian crisis with people confined to their houses by the fighting. Food, medical supplies and water are all in short supply in Abidjan. Many people are also without electricity. There have also been armed, xenophobic attacks against west African nationals and Malian migrants, with guns and knives.
