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69-836: Licorne was replaced on 21 January 2015 by the French forces in Ivory Coast . The "Force Licorne", which allegedly takes its name from the establishment in Libreville , Gabon, from which the first contingents departed in September 2002, is commanded by a General Officer (COMANFOR, Force Commander), assisted by an associate Operations General. The Force Licorne comprises battalion task groups (Groupements Tactiques Interarmes), which comprise infantry, cavalry, transport and logistics, health service, joint civil-military action groups, etc. As of 6 February 2007, there were three GTIAs: GTIA 1 in

138-727: A UN resolution, alleged that this intervention avoided a civil war and widespread massacres. An agreement among all the involved political forces was signed in France at Marcoussis , on 24 January 2003. On 4 April 2004, the ONUCI took over from the contingents of the ECOWAS, while the Force Licorne (then 4600 men), which remained under French command, stayed in place to support the United Nations force UNOCI. On 6 November 2004,

207-422: A campaign of terror, and that death squads had been responsible for 200 deaths, 1,000 people wounded from gunfire, 40 disappearances and 732 arrests. He told The Guardian that "women have been beaten, stripped, assaulted and raped. When will the international community realise that a murderous insanity has begun in Ivory Coast?" Amnesty International said it had received increasing reports of atrocities in

276-623: A crowded market from a nearby military barracks. It was unclear whether Gbagbo or Ouattara supporters were responsible, though Abobo is generally pro-Ouattara. On 18 March, the UN issued a statement saying that the shelling was "an act, perpetrated against civilians, [that] could constitute a crime against humanity." Another 52 people were killed in continuing violence in Abidjan between 21 and 26 March. Opposition figure Guillaume Soro charged that Gbagbo's security forces and Liberian mercenaries had waged

345-462: A mediator. The African Union had appointed Mbeki to lead an emergency mission to Côte d'Ivoire "to facilitate the rapid and peaceful conclusion of the electoral process and the efforts to find a way out of the crisis." However, he left the next day without a deal. Gabonese opposition leader André Mba Obame cited the events in Ivory Coast and the international recognition of Ouattara as Ivorian President as inspiration for declaring himself winner of

414-665: A nadir with the November 2004 bombing by Cote d'Ivoire of French forces in Bouake. Operation Licorne in Cote d'Ivoire, perhaps France's last unilateral military intervention in the old style, has cost France about €250 million per year, or well over a billion euro in total, without yielding decisive results." In March 2011, the ongoing crisis in Côte d'Ivoire escalated into a full-scale military conflict between forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo ,

483-616: A number of attacks in March, attacking foreign businesses and UN offices in Abidjan on 1 March and killing at least six people attending a pro-Ouattara rally in the city. The northern suburb of Abobo was attacked by Gbagbo's forces on 13 March in a bid to drive out pro-Ouattara supporters, and mobs were also reported to be roaming the city looking for their opponents and attacking or killing them. The violence resulted in 10 confirmed deaths and scores more wounded. Abobo came under heavy attack on 17 March, killing 30 people, when shells were fired into

552-557: A peaceful resolution to the ongoing crisis. In December 2010, several street protests were held in Abidjan. Hundreds of women joined the protests and banged pots as a warning about the arrival of the militias. The protesters were met with heavily armed security forces firing into the crowd and killing civilians. In February 2011, hundreds of youth protested in Abobo , a neighborhood of Abidjan. One man and one woman were killed by security forces who opened fire and used tear gas to disperse

621-611: A pro-Gbagbo neighborhood in Abidjan, but security forces prevented UN investigators from going to the site to check the allegations. Another mass grave was reported to exist in the village of N'Dotre, guarded by government militias. Clashes between rival ethnic groups seen as being pro-Gbagbo and pro-Ouattara killed 33 people in the central Ivorian city of Duékoué between 3 and 6 January 2011. 11 more people were killed on 11–12 January when fighting broke out in Abidjan between security forces and Ouattara supporters, some of whom were using automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades , after

690-473: A recount of the votes, along with the creation of a committee composed of international members that would oversee the recount. He also engaged in a diplomatic campaign to gain support from countries like Zimbabwe , while at the same time expelling ambassadors from the United Kingdom and Canada , countries that did not recognize his leadership. After the election, Gbagbo initially retained control of

759-544: A residential area. The city's port and train station on the Trans-Gabon Railway line to Franceville lie in Owendo , south of the main built-up area. Inland from these districts lie poorer residential areas. North-west of Equatorial Guinea is where the city stands, labeling the city as a part of north-west Gabon. In terms of the country's surrounding boundaries, north is Cameroon , east is Congo , and south-east

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828-459: A resolution that "strongly condemned human rights violations that had taken place in Côte d'Ivoire...that occurred in different parts of Côte d'Ivoire in relation to the conclusion of the 2010 presidential election." The resolution was criticized by Amnesty International as having insufficiently addressed the situation. Angola and Lebanon were the only countries to send their ambassadors to Gbagbo's swearing-in. The African Union —which, like

897-444: A slave resettlement site, before becoming the chief port of the colony of French Equatorial Africa . By the time of Gabonese independence in 1960, the city was a trading post and minor administrative centre with a population of 32,000. Since 1960, Libreville has grown rapidly and now is home to one-third of the national population. Various native peoples lived in or used the area that is now Libreville before colonization, including

966-477: A stronghold of Ouattara's supporters, there were many violent clashes between security forces and civilians. Aya Virginie Toure organized over 40,000 women in peaceful protests that were violently repressed. In an impassioned interview on BBC News , Toure compared the ongoing Second Ivorian Civil War to the 2011 Libyan civil war and asked for support from the international community . She called for military intervention to remove Laurent Gbagbo from power

1035-453: Is an elaborate hoax, claiming that the available video footage can hardly match the story. On 8 March, International Women's Day , 45,000 women held peaceful protests across the country. The women were met with youth armed with machetes and automatic weapons firing into the air at Koumassi . One woman and three men were killed in Abidjan by the army. As the violence continued in Abidjan, heavy fighting broke out in western Côte d'Ivoire at

1104-416: Is caused by the cold Benguela Current reaching its northernmost extent and suppressing rainfall. Despite the lack of rain, Libreville remains very cloudy during this time of year. As is common with many cities with this climate, average temperatures remain relatively constant throughout the course of the year, with average high temperatures at around 29 °C (84 °F). Léon-Mba International Airport

1173-521: Is one of several African cities where French is truly becoming a native language, with some local features. The city is home to a shipbuilding industry, brewing industry, and sawmills. The city exports raw materials such as wood, rubber and cocoa from the city's main port, and the deepwater port at Owendo . Gabon Airlines has its headquarters in Libreville. Prior to their dissolutions, both Air Gabon and Gabon Express were headquartered on

1242-734: Is the Democratic Republic of the Congo . It also rides the shores of the South Atlantic Ocean, which is on the country's west coast for reference. Additionally, in terms of aquatic geography, the Komo River passes through the city and empties into the ocean. The Komo River also stands as a potential hydroelectric source of power for the city which could generate supportive amounts of energy and power. Several city districts provide distinct and separate benefits throughout

1311-489: Is the largest airport in Gabon and is located around 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) north of the city. National Taxis operate around the city. Each district has a colour for its taxis and Libreville's is red. The National Society of Transport ( SOGATRA ) launched new taxis that operate on a counter system in 2014. The Gabonese Transport Company operates a bus service to all districts of Libreville. The Omar Bongo University

1380-694: The Gabon Estuary . Libreville occupies 65 square kilometres (25 sq mi) of the northwestern province of Estuaire . Libreville is also a port on the Gabon Estuary, near the Gulf of Guinea . As of the 2013 census, its population was 703,904. The area has been inhabited by the Mpongwe people since before the French acquired the land in 1839. It was later an American Christian mission , and

1449-562: The Mpongwé tribe. French admiral Édouard Bouët-Willaumez negotiated a trade and protection treaty with the local Mpongwé ruler, Antchoué Komé Rapontcombo (known to the French as King Denis), in 1839. American missionaries from New England established a mission in Baraka, Gabon, on what is now Libreville, in 1842. In 1846, the Brazilian slave ship L'Elizia , carrying slaves from the Congo,

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1518-534: The United States Department of State announced that it had imposed travel sanctions against Gbagbo and 30 allies. William Fitzgerald, the deputy assistant secretary for African affairs , said that trade sanctions may be imposed against individuals. On 22 December, State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley said that Ouattara's victory was irrefutable and reiterated U.S. demands that Gbagbo step down. Between December 2010 and March 2011, there

1587-433: The 13th battalion of Chasseurs Alpins and a non-Commissioned Officer from this same battalion by the then Minister of Defense Michèle Alliot-Marie . A WikiLeaks cable regarding Operation Licorne states: "the French are quite bitter about Cote d'Ivoire, once a crown jewel of France-Afrique, which spiraled into chaos after the death of one of France-Afrique's biggest advocates and beneficiaries, Houphouet-Boigny, reaching

1656-717: The 2003 Peace Accords signed in the suburbs of Paris, the majority of the CEI must consist of politicians of the opposition ( Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire – African Democratic Rally and Rally of the Republicans ). Paul Yao N'Dre , the President of the Constitutional Council (a body that was viewed by the opposition as favoring Gbagbo, because N'Dre was considered an ally of the President), then took to

1725-554: The Akouédo military camp in Abidjan. UN helicopters were flown by Ukrainian Ground Forces crews seconded to the United Nations. The attacks sparked protests by a Gbagbo spokesperson, who said that such actions were "illegal, illegitimate and unacceptable." UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon defended the actions, however, saying that "the [UN] mission has taken this action in self-defence and to protect civilians." He noted that Gbagbo’s forces had fired on United Nations patrols and attacked

1794-484: The CEI's results indicated that Gbagbo could only be credited with victory if hundreds of thousands of votes were invalidated. At the heart of the dispute lies article 94 of the Constitution of Côte d'Ivoire , which reads: The Constitutional Council shall control the regularity of the operations of the referendum and proclaims the results. The Council shall decide on: The Constitutional Council shall proclaim

1863-599: The French Army opened fire on Ivorian rioters, putting the Force Licorne in a delicate situation vis-à-vis the civilian population. The suspicious death of an Ivorian in May 2005 caused the suspension, then the formal reprimand and transfer of the Division General Henri Poncet and of his Associate Operations General Renaud de Malaussène , as well as the suspension of Colonel Eric Burgaud , head of

1932-645: The French peacekeepers’ camp in Abidjan Airport . The Lebanese president, U.N. officials, and French commanders provided assistance to facilitate the departure of the Lebanese, French, and African nationals who wished to leave Côte d'Ivoire. On 4 April 2011, UN and French helicopters also began firing on pro-Gbagbo military installations; a French military spokesman said the attacks were aimed at heavy artillery and armoured vehicles. Eyewitnesses reported seeing two UN Mi-24P attack helicopters firing missiles at

2001-569: The Golf Hotel, where Ouattara was located. The attackers reportedly used both sniper rifles and mortars; in response, UN peacekeepers fired on them. The following day, United Nations and French forces carried out further air strikes against Gbagbo's remaining heavy weapons, using Mi-24 and Aérospatiale Gazelle attack helicopters. The attack was reported to have caused heavy damage to the presidential palace. On 11 April, Ouattara's forces stormed Gbagbo's residence and arrested him. The final assault

2070-724: The Ivorian governmental air force carried out an attack on the French position in Bouaké , causing nine deaths and 37 wounded in the French Military (2nd Marine Infantry Regiment (2 RIMa), the Régiment d'infanterie-chars de marine (RICM, a light armoured regiment), 505th transport and logistics regiment). The French forces counterattacked, destroying the two Ivorian Sukhoi Su-25s at the Yamoussoukro base fifteen minutes after

2139-451: The President of Côte d'Ivoire since 2000, and supporters of the internationally recognized president-elect Alassane Ouattara . Heavy fighting broke out on 31 March 2011 as forces of Alassane Ouattara advanced on Abidjan from several directions. The United Nations peacekeepers took control of Abidjan's airport when Gbagbo's forces abandoned it, and United Nations forces were also reported to be carrying out protective security operations in

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2208-540: The RFCI advanced rapidly across the country to seize towns along the eastern border with Ghana, the political capital Yamoussoukro and the key port of San Pédro . By 31 March the RFCI had reached Abidjan as fighting broke out in the city, with Gbagbo loyalists falling back to the area around the presidential palace. United Nations and French forces joined the fighting on 4 April with helicopter attacks on heavy weapons being used by Gbagbo's forces. Electricity and water to

2277-597: The United Nations, formally recognised Ouattara as the duly elected President—warned that the conflicting results and subsequent political crisis could result in "incalculable consequences", and sent former President of South Africa Thabo Mbeki to mediate the issue. The US, UN, EU, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and former colonial power France affirmed their support to Ouattara. On 5 December, former South African President Thabo Mbeki held separate talks with Gbagbo and Ouattara, acting as

2346-553: The airwaves to say that the CEI had no authority left to announce any results, because it had already missed its deadline to announce them, and consequently the results were invalid. According to N'Dre, the passing of the deadline meant that only the Constitutional Council was "authorised to announce decisions on the contested results." It was widely presumed that the Court would issue a ruling favoring Gbagbo, although

2415-598: The attack. French President Jacques Chirac gave the order to destroy the entire Ivorian Air Force to prevent any further attacks by the National Army (FANCI) against the New Forces (Forces Nouvelles, FN) rebels, which would be contrary to the Marcoussis Agreements, and to forbid any further attacks against the French positions. The Ivorian air force has since been rebuilt. In November of 2004,

2484-595: The ban. Approximately 1,800 people, including children and civil servants , had taken refuge in Abidjan's Saint Paul's Cathedral since the beginning of the crisis. Both pro-Ouattara and pro-Gbagbo forces were accused of having participated in the 28–29 March Duékoué massacre, where hundreds of civilians were killed. When asked by U.N. secretary general Ban Ki-moon, Ouattara denied the accusation against his forces, but agreed to conduct an investigation. Numerous peaceful protests of nonviolent resistance have been organized in Ivory Coast and internationally in support of

2553-529: The basis of the CEI's results, Ouattara maintained that he was "the elected President" and said that the Constitutional Council had "abused its authority, the whole world knows it, and I am sorry for my country's image". He had the clear backing of the international and regional community for his claim to victory, but top officers in the military appeared to stand firmly behind Gbagbo. The New Forces and Prime Minister Guillaume Soro both supported Ouattara's claim to victory; Soro said that he considered Ouattara

2622-579: The city as well. In terms of nightlife, the Quartier Louis sector is most renowned. One of this zone's sides includes the coast, and this heavily influences the possible activities available in the area. Commercial areas within Libreville are housed in the Mont-Bouët and Nombakélé districts, which feature several shopping centers and stations selling purchasable goods. Oloumi contains much of the city's industry, integrating production separately from

2691-503: The city. The UN peacekeeping mission said its headquarters were fired on by Gbabgo's special forces on 31 March and returned fire in an exchange lasting about three hours. UN convoys have also come under attack by Gbagbo loyalists four times since 31 March, with three peacekeepers injured in one of the attacks. The peacekeepers had exchanged fire with Gbagbo loyalists in several parts of the city. By 2 April, 1,400 French and other foreign nationals (900 of whom were Lebanese citizens) entered

2760-400: The controversial 2009 Gabonese presidential election , sparking an ongoing political crisis in Gabon. On 28 December, presidents Yayi Boni of Benin , Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone and Pedro Pires of Cape Verde arrived in the country on behalf of ECOWAS, to convince Gbagbo to resign and go into exile for the sake of his country, while declaring it was Gbagbo's last chance before

2829-440: The country's armed forces and the state media, but in part due to the international sanctions which limited Gbagbo's financing abilities, this control gradually crumbled and the offensive by Ouattara forces caused much of Gbagbo's armed forces to defect. Ouattara was at the first floor of the Golf Hotel in Abidjan while Gbagbo remained at the presidential palace. The hotel was guarded by about 800 UN peacekeepers, who had encircled

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2898-476: The country. By March 2011, an estimated 450,000+ Ivorians had left the country, of which 370,000 were from the capital city of Abidjan . On 10 March 2011, it was announced that Gbagbo had banned all French and UN aircraft from Ivorian airspace, with exceptions only if the transport ministry approved. The ban was not challenged by the UN, which continued to fly helicopters despite the order; allies of Ouattara said Gbagbo had no legal authority with which to enforce

2967-498: The crisis entered a decisive stage as Ouattara's forces began a military offensive in which they quickly gained control of most of the country and besieged key targets in Abidjan , the country's largest city. At the time, international organizations reported numerous human rights violations, and the UN undertook its own military action with the stated objective to protect itself and civilians. A significant step in bringing an end to

3036-597: The crisis occurred on 11 April 2011 upon the capture and arrest of Gbagbo in Abidjan by pro-Ouattara forces backed by French forces. On 2 December 2010, Youssouf Bakayoko , head of the Ivorian Commission Electorale Indépendante (CEI), announced provisional results showing that Alassane Ouattara had won the Ivorian election of 2010 in the second round with 54.1% of the vote, against 45.9% for Laurent Gbagbo; he reported that turnout

3105-518: The crowd. On 3 March 2011, 15,000 women held a peaceful protest in Abidjan. Some were dressed in black, some were wearing leaves, and some were naked, all signs of an African curse directed toward Laurent Gbagbo. In the neighborhood of Abobo, they were met by security forces with tanks that allegedly opened fire on the women. Seven women were killed and approximately 100 were wounded. Gbagbo's police officers always denied any involvement of their forces, and Gbagbo's supporters argue that this incident

3174-446: The deployment of military force against him. On 20 December, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told a news briefing that it was "time for [Gbagbo] to go" and that "We stand ready to impose targeted sanctions, individually and in concert with our partners around the world, on President Gbagbo, on his immediate family, on those who are associated with him and those who continue to cling to power illegitimately." On 21 December,

3243-501: The districts that focus upon other aspects. Finally, Lalala and Batterie IV are residential and housing sectors, where much of the populace resides. Libreville features a tropical monsoon climate ( Am ) with a lengthy wet season and a short dry season . The city's wet season , which is also its autumn, winter and spring, spans about nine months (September through May), with a great deal of rain falling during these months. Its dry season (or summer) lasts from June through August, and

3312-533: The end of February 2011 as the newly renamed Republican Forces of Côte d'Ivoire (RFCI) sought to close the border with Liberia , from where Gbagbo was reported to have recruited numerous fighters. A series of western towns fell to the RFCI between 25 February and 21 March as it advanced beyond the ceasefire line from the previous civil war. On 28 March the RFCI launched a country-wide military offensive as Ouattara declared that all peaceful solutions had been "exhausted". After heavy fighting in some central Ivorian towns,

3381-414: The final results of the presidential elections. Shortly after the announcements, the military sealed the country's borders. On 3 December, the Constitutional Council declared Gbagbo winner. N'Dre announced that the results in seven northern regions were cancelled, and on that basis declaring the outcome narrowly in favor of Gbagbo, who was credited with 51.45% of the vote while Ouattara had 48.55%. On

3450-428: The grounds of Libreville International Airport . The French Army 's 6th Marine Infantry Battalion is based in the north of the city. 2010%E2%80%932011 Ivorian crisis Anti-Gbagbo victory Gbagbo forces supported by : Ouattara forces supported by : International forces President of Ivory Coast Government parliamentary election local elections The 2010–11 Ivorian crisis

3519-615: The horizon, Léon M'ba won Libreville's first free mayoral election in 1956. Mba was later the first president of independent Gabon. The city's population was only 32,000 at independence, but grew rapidly thereafter. It now houses one-third of the national population. From north to south, major districts of the city are the residential area Batterie IV , Quartier Louis (known for its nightlife ), Mont-Bouët and Nombakélé (busy commercial areas), Glass (the first European settlement in Gabon), Oloumi (a major industrial area) and Lalala ,

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3588-549: The northern half of the country were also cut 2 March, with no immediate explanation for either event. On 18 December 2010, Gbagbo ordered peacekeeping forces from the United Nations and France to leave the country; the government issued a statement saying that it " demands the departure of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire and Opération Licorne forces in Ivory Coast and is opposed to any renewal of their mandate." In January 2011, Gbagbo requested

3657-520: The organization’s headquarters in Abidjan “with heavy-caliber sniper fire as well as mortars and rocket-propelled grenades,” wounding four peacekeepers. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia intends to look into the legitimacy of the use of force by UN peacekeepers. The position of the Russian government was that any foreign interference would only lead to increasing violence. On 9 April, pro-Gbagbo forces were reported to have fired on

3726-472: The police attempted to conduct a raid in a pro-Ouattara district of Abidjan. The same area was the scene of further clashes on 21–22 February when police again attempted to raid it. 12 opposition supporters were killed when security forces fired machine guns and launched rocket-propelled grenades in the neighbourhood; the next day, opposition fighters ambushed government gendarmes (paramilitary police) and killed 10–15 of them. Gbagbo's supporters carried out

3795-478: The rightful President and offered his resignation to Gbagbo on 4 December. Gbagbo was sworn in for another five-year term on 4 December, defiantly declaring: "I will continue to work with all the countries of the world, but I will never give up our sovereignty." Sporadic violence and gunfire were reported in various parts of the country, including Abidjan . Gbagbo appointed a new Prime Minister, Gilbert Aké , on 5 December; Aké, an economist and university president,

3864-610: The same way Charles Taylor was removed in the Second Liberian Civil War . On 18 December, a United Nations spokesperson said in response to a Gbagbo demand that foreign armed troops leave the country that the UN did not consider Gbagbo to be the president, and that peacekeepers would continue to support and protect both Alassane Ouattara and Ivorian citizens. On 23 December 2010, the United Nations Human Rights Council passed

3933-555: The start of the Ivorian Civil War ), independently of the United Nations, to honor the defense agreements signed in between France and Côte d'Ivoire on 24 August 1961. France, and later the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), sent large military contingents to separate the two sides. The military operation included more than 4000 men (down to 2400 in August 2007). The French authorities, who were supported by

4002-584: The structure has changed, with the logistic battalion and the GTIA43 dissolved and the logistics and support functions provided together by the BSVIA, a joint services support base stationed at Port-Bouët. The Force Licorne and the ONUCI are known in Côte d'Ivoire as "Impartial Forces". The cost of the operation is estimated at around 200 million Euros per annum. This military operation started in September 2002 (at

4071-736: The terminus of the river navigation on the Congo River and the Ubangi River , with the Atlantic coast. As rapids make it impossible to navigate on the Congo River past Brazzaville, and the coastal railroad terminus site had to allow for the construction of a deep-sea port, authorities chose the site of Ponta Negra instead of Libreville as originally envisaged. Construction of the Congo–Ocean Railway began in 1921, and Libreville

4140-760: The west, GTIA 2 in the centre, and the 43rd GTIA formed around the 43rd BIMa of the Troupes de Marine in Abidjan. The Force also comprises a battalion of the French Army Light Aviation (BATALAT), a logistics battalion (BATLOG), squadrons of the Mobile Gendarmerie (militarised riot police), squadrons of the Gendarmerie prévôtale (military police), and a troop transport group from the French Air Force . Since March 2008,

4209-457: Was 81.09%. Results had been expected and then postponed for days, beyond the deadline, and Bakayoko's appearance to announce the results—at an Abidjan hotel heavily guarded by the UN—took the press by surprise. Bakayoko reportedly chose to announce the results at the hotel, which Ouattara had been using as "his base", because he wanted to have the security of UN protection when doing so. According to

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4278-551: Was a political crisis in Ivory Coast which began after Laurent Gbagbo , the President of Ivory Coast since 2000, was proclaimed the winner of the Ivorian election of 2010 , the first election in the country in 10 years. The opposition candidate, Alassane Ouattara , and a number of countries, organisations and leaders worldwide claimed Ouattara had won the election. After months of attempted negotiation and sporadic violence,

4347-439: Was a series of sporadic outbreaks of violence between Gbagbo's militias and security forces on the one hand and Ouattara's supporters on the other, primarily in the city of Abidjan, where both sides had large numbers of supporters. On 16 December 2010, clashes between opposition supporters and security forces in Abidjan and Yamoussoukro left 44 people dead. It was alleged that a mass grave of opposition supporters had been dug in

4416-465: Was already regarded as close to Gbagbo. Ouattara himself was sworn in separately shortly after, saying that "Ivory Coast is now in good hands". Ouattara then re-appointed Soro as his prime minister. There had been rallies from pro-Gbagbo and pro-Ouattara sides. Simone Gbagbo , wife of Laurent Gbagbo, gave a speech in the pro-Gbagbo rally on 15 January 2011. Ivorian forces have fired live bullets to disperse protesters. In Abobo , an Abidjan suburb and

4485-417: Was assisted by French forces using helicopters and armoured vehicles, although the actual capture was made by Ouattara's troops. Gbagbo, his wife, sons and about 50 members of his entourage were captured unharmed and were taken to the Golf Hotel, Ouattara's headquarters, where they were placed under United Nations guard. Libreville Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon , located on

4554-637: Was captured near Loango by the French navy which was tasked with contributing to the British Blockade of Africa . Fifty-two of the freed slaves were resettled on the site of Libreville (French for "Freetown") in 1849. Following the French Revolution of 1848 and establishment of the French Second Republic , the former slaves organized an election to select leaders of the new village in 1849. A former slave named Mountier

4623-501: Was elected Mayor of Libreville. Libreville was the administrative capital of France's Congo-Gabon colony between 1888 and 1904, when the capital moved to Brazzaville . In 1910, Gabon became part of French Equatorial Africa ( Afrique équatoriale française , AEF). French companies were allowed to exploit the Middle Congo (modern-day Congo-Brazzaville). It soon became necessary to build a railroad that would connect Brazzaville ,

4692-438: Was founded in 1970. There are several high-end international schools in Libreville, including: Among the places of worship , they are predominantly Christian churches and temples: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Libreville ( Catholic Church ), Église de l'Alliance chrétienne et missionnaire du Gabon ( Alliance World Fellowship ), Assemblies of God , Evangelical Church of Gabon . There are also Muslim mosques. Libreville

4761-525: Was surpassed by the rapid growth of Pointe-Noire , farther down the coast. Libreville received its first bank branch when Bank of West Africa (BAO) opened a branch in 1930. In 1940, Libreville was the central focus of the Battle of Gabon as Charles de Gaulle 's Free French forces, supported by the Royal Navy, moved to consolidate control over French Equatorial Africa. With national independence on

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