129-585: Ouattara/UN/French victory The Second Ivorian Civil War broke out in March 2011 when the crisis in Ivory Coast escalated into full-scale military conflict between forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo , the President of Ivory Coast since 2000, and supporters of the internationally recognised president-elect Alassane Ouattara . After months of unsuccessful negotiations and sporadic violence between supporters of
258-597: A "safe and dignified exit" for Gbagbo and his family if he conceded the election, handing power over to Ouattara. However, forces loyal to Ouattara moved to seize Gbagbo at his residence in Abidjan on 6 April 2011, after the negotiations failed. French forces were said to have destroyed several military vehicles belonging to troops loyal to Laurent Gbagbo during a helicopter-borne mission that rescued Japan's ambassador, Yoshifumi Okamura, during heavy fighting in Abidjan during
387-516: A 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 4.79/10, ranking it 116th globally out of 172 countries. Liberia is a global biodiversity hotspot —a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is under threat from humans. Endangered species are hunted for human consumption as bushmeat in Liberia. Species hunted for food in Liberia include elephants , pygmy hippopotamus , chimpanzees , leopards , duikers , and other monkeys. Bushmeat
516-682: A Monrovia beach. The coup leaders formed the People's Redemption Council (PRC) to govern the country. A strategic Cold War ally of the West, Doe received significant financial backing from the United States while critics condemned the PRC for corruption and political repression. After Liberia adopted a new constitution in 1985, Doe was elected president in subsequent elections that were internationally condemned as fraudulent. On November 12, 1985,
645-482: 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
774-568: 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
903-554: A dictatorial regime, Doe was assassinated in 1990 in the context of the First Liberian Civil War which ran from 1989 until 1997 with the election of rebel leader Charles Taylor as president. In 1998, the Second Liberian Civil War erupted against his own dictatorship, and Taylor was overthrown by the end of the war in 2003. The two wars resulted in the deaths of 250,000 people (about 8% of
1032-584: A failed coup was launched by Thomas Quiwonkpa , whose soldiers briefly occupied the national radio station . Government repression intensified in response, as Doe's troops responded by executing members of the Gio and Mano ethnic groups in Nimba County . The National Patriotic Front of Liberia , a rebel group led by Charles Taylor , launched an insurrection in December 1989 against Doe's government with
1161-468: A few hundred people – have begun heading home, frequently finding their communities still in tatters from the conflict. Ivorian officials have blamed deadly attacks launched from Liberia that targeted Ivorian border towns in 2012 on former militia fighters that remain loyal to Gbagbo and now live in refugee camps in Liberia. In addition to refugees in Liberia, a significant number of displaced Ivorians stayed in camps throughout western Ivory Coast. The largest
1290-480: A fight, including the army chief of staff General Phillippe Mangou , who took refuge in the South African ambassador's house, and the head of the military police, General Tiape Kassarate, who defected to Ouattara's side. Despite belligerent language from Gbagbo's side, most of his forces appear to have decided not to fight – a decision attributed by some commentators to "the historically unwarrior-like nature of
1419-452: A full-scale offensive across the country. Ouattara issued a statement declaring: "All the peaceful routes to lead Laurent Gbagbo to admit his defeat have been exhausted." The towns of Duékoué and Daloa in the west of the country were captured by the RFCI, as were Bondoukou and Abengourou near the border with Ghana in the east. On 30 March, Ivory Coast's political capital Yamoussoukro and
SECTION 10
#17327654400971548-550: A handmade quilt, Liberia's first diplomatic gift. Born into slavery in Tennessee, Ricks said, "I had heard it often, from the time I was a child, how good the Queen had been to my people—to slaves—and how she wanted us to be free." American and other international interests emphasized resource extraction, with rubber production as a major industry in the early 20th century. In 1914, Imperial Germany accounted for three-quarters of
1677-462: 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
1806-418: A million people fled, mostly from Abidjan. After the disputed election, sporadic outbreaks of violence took place, particularly in Abidjan, where supporters of Ouattara clashed repeatedly with government forces and militias. Gbagbo's forces were said to be responsible for a campaign of assassinations, beatings and abductions directed against Ouattara's supporters. The violence escalated through March 2011 with
1935-564: 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
2064-561: A number of incidents in Abidjan in which dozens of people were reported killed. In one of the deadliest single incidents, up to 30 people were killed on 17 March in a rocket attack on a pro-Ouattara suburb of Abidjan. The UN issued a statement saying that the shelling was "an act, perpetrated against civilians, [that] could constitute a crime against humanity ." 52 people were killed in further violence in Abidjan Between 21 and 26 March. Fighting also broke out in western Ivory Coast at
2193-557: 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
2322-611: 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
2451-473: 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
2580-510: 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
2709-527: A result of the report, President Charles D. B. King and Vice President Allen N. Yancy resigned. In the mid-20th century, Liberia gradually began to modernize with American assistance. During World War II , the United States made major infrastructure improvements to support its military efforts in Africa and Europe against Germany. It built the Freeport of Monrovia and Roberts International Airport under
SECTION 20
#17327654400972838-477: 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
2967-514: A supporter of Pan-Africanism . Liberia also helped to fund the Organisation of African Unity . On April 12, 1980, a military coup led by Master Sergeant Samuel Doe of the Krahn ethnic group overthrew and killed President William R. Tolbert Jr. Doe and the other plotters later executed most of Tolbert's cabinet and other Americo-Liberian government officials and True Whig Party members on
3096-652: A three-day curfew in Abidjan from 2100 GMT to 0600 GMT. The United Nations peacekeepers took control of Abidjan's airport when Gbagbo's forces abandoned it, and Gbagbo's elite forces were reported to be surrounding the presidential residence. United Nations and French forces were also reported to be carrying out protective security operations in the city. The UN peacekeeping mission said its headquarters were fired on by Gbagbo'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
3225-617: A way to avoid slave rebellions . In 1822, the American Colonization Society began sending free people of color to the Pepper Coast voluntarily to establish a colony. Mortality from tropical diseases was high—of the 4,571 emigrants who arrived in Liberia between 1820 and 1843, only 1,819 survived. By 1867, the ACS (and state-related chapters) had assisted in the migration of more than 13,000 people of color from
3354-459: A while," while 13% cooked it once a week and 7% cooked bushmeat daily. The survey was conducted during the last civil war, and bushmeat consumption is now believed to be far higher. Trypanosoma brucei gambiense is endemic in some animal hosts here including both domestic and wild . This causes the disease nagana . In pigs here and in Ivory Coast , that includes Tbg group 1 . Tbg and its vector Glossina palpalis gambiense are
3483-453: 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
3612-416: Is characterized by mostly flat to rolling coastal plains that contain mangroves and swamps , which rise to a rolling plateau and low mountains in the northeast. Tropical rainforests cover the hills, while elephant grass and semi-deciduous forests make up the dominant vegetation in the northern sections. Liberia's watershed tends to move in a southwestern pattern toward the sea as new rains move down
3741-528: Is not wholly within Liberia as Nimba is located at the point where Liberia borders both Guinea and Ivory Coast . Nimba is thus the tallest mountain in those countries, as well. The equatorial climate, in the south of the country, is hot year-round with heavy rainfall from May to October with a short interlude in mid-July to August. During the winter months of November to March, dry dust-laden harmattan winds blow inland, causing many problems for residents. Climate change in Liberia causes many problems as Liberia
3870-428: Is often exported to neighboring Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast, despite a ban on the cross-border sale of wild animals. Bushmeat is widely eaten in Liberia, and is considered a delicacy. A 2004 public opinion survey found that bushmeat ranked second behind fish amongst residents of the capital Monrovia as a preferred source of protein. Of households where bushmeat was served, 80% of residents said they cooked it "once in
3999-401: Is particularly vulnerable to climate change . Like many other countries in Africa , Liberia both faces existing environmental issues , as well as sustainable development challenges. Because of its location in Africa, it is vulnerable to extreme weather , the coastal effects of sea level rise , and changing water systems and water availability. Climate change is expected to severely impact
Second Ivorian Civil War - Misplaced Pages Continue
4128-466: The BBC that "[a]t this time, I strongly urge Mr Gbagbo to step down and transfer power to the legitimately elected president... Mr Ouattara." On 4 April, non-military United Nations personnel began to be evacuated from Abidjan and hundreds of additional French troops landed in the Abidjan airport. UN and French helicopters also began firing on pro-Gbagbo military installations, a French military spokesman said
4257-681: The Cestos River , all of which flow into the Atlantic. The Cavalla is the longest river in the nation at 320 miles (510 km). The highest point wholly within Liberia is Mount Wuteve at 4,724 feet (1,440 m) above sea level in the northwestern Liberia range of the West Africa Mountains and the Guinea Highlands . Mount Nimba , near Yekepa , is higher at 1,752 metres (5,748 ft) above sea level , but
4386-609: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said at least 800 died, while Caritas put the figure at more than 1,000. ICRC staff who visited Duékoué said the scale and brutality of the killings were shocking. Tens of thousands had fled Duékoué since 28 March. On 7 April Rupert Colville, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights , said its team had found 15 new bodies, bringing
4515-521: The Kru and Grebo from their inland chiefdoms. Americo-Liberians formed into a small elite that held disproportionate political power, while indigenous Africans were excluded from birthright citizenship in their own land until 1904. In 1980, political tensions from the rule of William R. Tolbert resulted in a military coup , marking the end of Americo-Liberian rule and the seizure of power of Liberia's first indigenous leader, Samuel Doe . Establishing
4644-626: The Lend-Lease program before its entry into the Second World War. After the war, President William Tubman encouraged foreign investment, with Liberia achieving the second-highest rate of economic growth in the world during the 1950s. In international affairs, it was a founding member of the United Nations , a vocal critic of South African apartheid , a proponent of African independence from European colonial powers, and
4773-1146: The Middle Stone Age (MSA) indicates that core and flake technologies have been present in West Africa since at least the Chibanian (~780–126 thousand years ago or ka ) in northern, open Sahelian zones, and that they persisted until the Terminal Pleistocene / Holocene boundary (~12 ka) in both northern and southern zones of West Africa. This makes them the youngest examples of such MSA technology anywhere in Africa. The presence of MSA populations in forests remains an open question. Technological differences may correlate with various ecological zones . Later Stone Age (LSA) populations evidence significant technological diversification, including both microlithic and macrolithic traditions. The record shows that aceramic and ceramic LSA assemblages in West Africa overlap chronologically, and that changing densities of microlithic industries from
4902-519: The Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. In November 2011, President Sirleaf was re-elected for a second six-year term. Following the 2017 Liberian general election , former professional football striker George Weah , considered one of the greatest African players of all time, was sworn in as president on January 22, 2018, becoming the fourth youngest serving president in Africa. The inauguration marked Liberia's first fully democratic transition in 74 years. Weah cited fighting corruption, reforming
5031-534: 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
5160-430: The economy of Liberia , especially agriculture, fisheries, and forestry. Liberia has been an active participant in international and local policy changes related to climate change. Forests on the coastline are composed mostly of salt-tolerant mangrove trees, while the more sparsely populated inland has forests opening onto a plateau of drier grasslands . The climate is equatorial , with significant rainfall during
5289-660: 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
Second Ivorian Civil War - Misplaced Pages Continue
5418-419: The 20th century, repeating patterns of European colonists in other nations in Africa. Competition for office was usually contained within the party; a party nomination virtually ensured election. Pressure from the United Kingdom, which controlled Sierra Leone to the northwest, and France, with its interests in the north and east, led to a loss of Liberia's claims to extensive territories. Both Sierra Leone and
5547-511: The 5th and 6th. Ivory Coast's now defaulted $ 2,300,000,000 debt bond rose 1.2 points on the 6th to a new four-month high, a possible sign of increased investor confidence that Ouattara would take office and resume payments. 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
5676-688: The Atlantic Ocean to its south and southwest. It has a population of around 5.5 million and covers an area of 43,000 square miles (111,369 km ). The official language is English. Over 20 indigenous languages are spoken, reflecting the country's ethnic and cultural diversity. The capital and largest city is Monrovia . Liberia began in the early 19th century as a project of the American Colonization Society (ACS), which believed that black people would face better chances for freedom and prosperity in Africa than in
5805-631: The Atlantic Ocean. The Dei , Bassa , Kru , Gola , and Kissi were some of the earliest documented peoples in the area. This influx of these groups was compounded by the decline of the Mali Empire in 1375 and the Songhai Empire in 1591. As inland regions underwent desertification , inhabitants moved to the wetter coast. These new inhabitants brought skills such as cotton spinning , cloth weaving , iron smelting , rice and sorghum cultivation, and social and political institutions from
5934-484: 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
6063-592: The French peacekeepers' camp close to the 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 wish to leave the Ivory Coast. The French army formally took over the running of Abidjan airport on the 4th in order to evacuate foreign citizens living in the Ivory Coast. Evacuations took place on
6192-462: The Ivorian army" and the effect of sanctions on Gbagbo's ability to pay his forces. Military sources said that an estimated 50,000 members of the gendarmerie and armed forces had deserted, with only some 2,000 Gbagbo loyalists remaining behind to fight. The fighting in Abidjan has been concentrated in two areas in the suburb of Cocody – around the state television building, which went off the air on
6321-433: The Ivory Coast annexed territories. Liberia struggled to attract investment to develop infrastructure and a larger, industrial economy. There was a decline in the production of Liberian goods in the late 19th century, and the government struggled financially, resulting in indebtedness on a series of international loans. On July 16, 1892, Martha Ann Erskine Ricks met Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle and presented her with
6450-747: The Mali and Songhai empires. Shortly after the Mane conquered the region, the Vai people of the former Mali Empire immigrated into the Grand Cape Mount County region. The ethnic Kru opposed the influx of Vai, forming an alliance with the Mane to stop further influx of Vai. People along the coast built canoes and traded with other West Africans from Cap-Vert to the Gold Coast . Between 1461 and
6579-477: The May–October rainy season and harsh harmattan winds the remainder of the year. Liberia possesses about forty percent of the remaining Upper Guinean rainforest . It was an important producer of rubber in the early 20th century. Four terrestrial ecoregions lie within Liberia's borders: Guinean montane forests , Western Guinean lowland forests , Guinean forest–savanna mosaic , and Guinean mangroves . It had
SECTION 50
#17327654400976708-704: The Plateau and Cocody areas of the city. On 9 April, pro-Gbagbo forces were reported to have fired on the Golf Hotel, where Ouattara was located. The attackers reportedly used both sniper rifles and mortars; in response, UN peacekeepers fired on them. Gbagbo's forces were reported to have pushed Ouattara's forces back, retaking control of the Plateau and Cocody districts of Abidjan. 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
6837-731: The President of the Constitutional Council – an ally of Gbagbo – declared the results to be invalid and that Gbagbo was the winner. Both Gbagbo and Ouattara claimed victory and took the presidential oath of office . The international community, including the United Nations, the African Union , the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the European Union , the United States, and former colonial power France affirmed their support for Ouattara, who
6966-489: 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
7095-579: The SCSL for trial in The Hague . In 2006, the government established a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address the causes and crimes of the civil war. In 2011, July 26 was proclaimed by President Sirleaf as National Independence Day. In October 2011, peace activist Leymah Gbowee received the Nobel Peace Prize in her work of leading a women's peace movement that brought to an end to
7224-675: The Southern states, which had strong political power in the American government, declared their secession and the formation of the Confederacy . The leadership of the new nation consisted largely of the Americo-Liberians , who at the beginning established political and economic dominance in the coastal areas that the ACS had purchased; they maintained relations with the United States and contacts in developing these areas and
7353-566: The U.S. did not recognize until February 5, 1862. Liberia was the first African republic to proclaim its independence and is Africa's first and oldest modern republic. Along with Ethiopia , it was one of the two African countries to maintain its sovereignty and independence during the European colonial " Scramble for Africa ". During World War II , Liberia supported the U.S. war effort against Nazi Germany and in turn received considerable American investment in infrastructure, which aided
7482-529: 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
7611-663: The United States and the Caribbean to Liberia. These free African Americans and their descendants married within their community and came to identify as Americo-Liberians . Many were of mixed race and educated in American culture; they did not identify with the indigenous natives of the tribes they encountered. They developed an ethnic group that had a cultural tradition infused with American notions of political republicanism and Protestant Christianity. The ACS, supported by prominent American politicians such as Abraham Lincoln , Henry Clay , and James Monroe , believed "repatriation"
7740-581: The United States. Between 1822 and the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, more than 15,000 freed and free-born African Americans , along with 3,198 Afro-Caribbeans , relocated to Liberia. Gradually developing an Americo-Liberian identity, the settlers carried their culture and tradition with them while colonizing the indigenous population. Led by the Americo-Liberians, Liberia declared independence on July 26, 1847, which
7869-459: 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 the organization's headquarters in Abidjan "with heavy-caliber sniper fire as well as mortars and rocket-propelled grenades", wounding four peacekeepers. On 4 April General Phillippe Mangou left the South African ambassador's residence in Abidjan and rejoined
SECTION 60
#17327654400977998-553: 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
8127-506: The attacks were aimed at heavy artillery and armoured vehicles. Eyewitnesses reported seeing two UN Mi-24P attack helicopters firing missiles at 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
8256-444: The attacks. The peacekeepers had exchanged fire with Gbagbo loyalists in several parts of the city. Around 500 foreign nationals took refuge at the French base at Port-Bouët, near the airport. Ouattara appealed to Gbagbo's men to lay down their arms, promising that Gbagbo himself would come to no harm, and issued a statement: "There is still time to join your brothers. The country is calling you." Many of them defected or gave up without
8385-661: The backing of neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast . This triggered the First Liberian Civil War . By September 1990, Doe's forces controlled only a small area just outside the capital, and Doe was captured and executed in that month by rebel forces. The rebels soon split into conflicting factions. The Economic Community Monitoring Group under the Economic Community of West African States organized an armed intervention. Between 1989 and 1997, around 60,000 to 80,000 Liberians died, and, by 1996, around 700,000 others had been displaced into refugee camps in neighboring countries. A peace deal between warring parties
8514-595: 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
8643-529: 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
8772-540: The coast to the north are geographically structured. These features may represent social networks or some form of cultural diffusion allied to changing ecological conditions. Microlithic industries with ceramics became common by the Mid-Holocene , coupled with an apparent intensification of wild food exploitation. Between ~4–3.5 ka, these societies gradually transformed into food producers, possibly through contact with northern pastoralists and agriculturalists, as
8901-407: The continuing violence more than 100,000 people fled the country to neighbouring Liberia . At Old Pohan, a Liberian settlement next to the thickets that extend to the border, refugees greatly outnumbered the local population, and more were arriving all the time. President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said in an interview that "it’s a serious threat to the stability of Liberia and, I might say, to
9030-452: 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
9159-434: The country split between a rebel-held north and a government-held south. In March 2007 the two sides signed an agreement to hold fresh elections, though they ended up being delayed until 2010, five years after Gbagbo's term of office was supposed to have expired. After northern candidate Alassane Ouattara was declared the victor of the 2010 Ivorian presidential election by the country's Independent Electoral Commission (CEI),
9288-440: 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
9417-476: The country's wealth and development. President William Tubman encouraged economic and political changes that heightened the country's prosperity and international profile; Liberia was a founding member of the League of Nations , United Nations , and the Organisation of African Unity . The Americo-Liberian settlers did not relate well to the indigenous peoples they encountered. Colonial settlements were raided by
9546-476: 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
9675-444: 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
9804-597: 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
9933-518: 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
10062-446: 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,
10191-604: The economy, combating illiteracy, and improving living conditions as the main targets of his presidency. Opposition leader Joseph Boakai defeated Weah in the tightly contested 2023 presidential election . On 22 January 2024, Boakai was sworn in as Liberia's new president. Liberia is situated in West Africa , bordering the North Atlantic Ocean to the country's southwest. It lies between latitudes 4° and 9°N , and longitudes 7° and 12°W . The landscape
10320-533: 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,
10449-551: The end of February 2011. On 25 February, the New Forces captured the towns of Zouan Hounien and Binhouye near the border with Liberia and took control of nearby Toulepleu on 7 March. The town of Doké fell on 12 March as the New Forces pushed on towards Bloléquin , which they took on 21 March after heavy fighting. On 28 March, the New Forces – now renamed the Republican Forces of Côte d'Ivoire (RFCI) – launched
10578-508: The environment became more arid. Hunter-gatherers have survived in the more forested parts of West Africa until much later, attesting to the strength of ecological boundaries in this region. The Pepper Coast , also known as the Grain Coast, has been inhabited by indigenous peoples of Africa at least as far back as the 12th century. Mande -speaking people expanded from the north and east, forcing many smaller ethnic groups southward toward
10707-485: The evening of 31 March, and around the residence of Laurent Gbagbo, where pro-Gbagbo Republican Guard members and armed students were said to be putting up strong resistance. Gunfire and shelling was also reported around the presidential palace in the central Plateau district of the city. Fighting also broke out in the Treichville district, where Gbagbo's Republican Guard was defending the city's main bridges, and around
10836-414: 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
10965-466: The following October. The subsequent 2005 elections were internationally regarded as the freest and fairest in Liberian history. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf , a US-educated economist, former Minister of Finance and future Nobel Prize for Peace winner, was elected as the first female president in Africa. Upon her inauguration, Sirleaf requested the extradition of Taylor from Nigeria and transferred him to
11094-500: The foreigners and Caritas aid workers. According to Guillaume N'Gefa, spokesman for the UN mission in Ivory Coast, 330 people had been killed in Duékoué as Ouattara's forces took over the town, More than 100 of them were killed by Gbagbo's troops. However, N'Gefa said the majority were executed by dozos , traditional hunters who support Ouattara. N'Gefa said a UN team was still investigating and those figures were likely to rise. Earlier
11223-602: The forested plateau off the inland mountain range of Guinée Forestière , in Guinea . Cape Mount near the border with Sierra Leone receives the most precipitation in the nation. Liberia's main northwestern boundary is traversed by the Mano River while its southeast limits are bounded by the Cavalla River . Liberia's three largest rivers are St. Paul exiting near Monrovia , the river St. John at Buchanan , and
11352-508: The gendarmerie base at Agban. On 2 April heavy fighting was around the Agban military base and the presidential palace. State television station RTI appeared to be back under the control of Gbagbo supporters after being briefly taken off air. Many residents of Abidjan reported that supplies of food were becoming limited, with the violence making it dangerous to leave buildings to buy more. Also on 2 April, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told
11481-498: The government forces. On Ouattara's TV station, Serges Alla, a journalist claimed: "Mangou was forced to leave the South African embassy because some of his relatives were made hostage by diehard supporters of Gbagbo, and Gbagbo militiamen were putting pressure on him, saying they would bomb his village if he doesn't show himself or doesn't return to the Gbagbo army." Early on 5 April 2011, Ouattara forces announced that they had captured
11610-825: The indigenous peoples they encountered, especially those in communities of the more isolated " bush ". The colonial settlements were raided by the Kru and Grebo from their inland chiefdoms. Encounters with tribal Africans in the bush often became violent. Believing themselves different from and culturally and educationally superior to the indigenous peoples, the Americo-Liberians developed as an elite minority that created and held on to political power. The Americo-Liberian settlers adopted clothing such as hoop skirts and tailcoats and generally viewed themselves as culturally and socially superior to indigenous Africans. Indigenous tribesmen did not enjoy birthright citizenship in their own land until 1904. Americo-Liberians encouraged religious organizations to set up missions and schools to educate
11739-540: The indigenous peoples. On July 26, 1847, the settlers issued a Declaration of Independence and promulgated a constitution . Based on the political principles of the United States Constitution , it established the independent Republic of Liberia. On August 24, Liberia adopted its 11-striped national flag . The United Kingdom was the first country to recognize Liberia's independence. The United States did not recognize Liberia until 1862, after
11868-494: The inhabitants were said to have fled en masse . Large numbers of people were said to have found dead after Ouattara's forces took control of the central Ivorian towns; in Duékoué alone, over 800 people were reported to have been killed, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross , though responsibility for the massacres was unclear. Ouattara's government stated that numerous mass graves had been found in "Toulepleu, Bloléquin and Guiglo, whose authors are none other than
11997-498: The internationally recognized president according to the Catholic charity Caritas . The U.N. mission in Ivory Coast said it has a team investigating the alleged mass killings in the west of the town. The U.N. said forces of both Ouattara and Gbagbo were involved in the killings. On the 4th Caritas repeated its claims that 800 to 1,000 had been killed in the Duékoué massacre. The nation's general descent into violence had frightened both
12126-539: The late 17th century, Portuguese , Dutch , and British traders had contacts and trading posts in the region. The Portuguese named the area Costa da Pimenta ("Pepper Coast") but it later came to be known as the Grain Coast , due to the abundance of melegueta pepper grains. The traders would barter commodities and goods with local people. In the United States, there was a movement to settle African Americans , both free-born and formerly enslaved, in Africa. This
12255-425: The loyal forces, mercenaries and militias of Laurent Gbagbo." However, the United Nations blamed the RFCI for many of the deaths. In Abidjan, heavy fighting broke out on 31 March as pro-Ouattara forces advanced on the city from several directions. Residents reported seeing the RFCI forces entering the city in "a convoy of 2,000–3,000 people on foot and then dozens of cars without their headlights on." Ouattara declared
12384-529: The manual labor on cocoa plantations. The two have a historic dispute over the rights to the farmland. On 7 April Rupert Colville said that 40 bodies were found in Blolequin , where perpetrators were said to have been Liberian militias, who spared the Guere after separating them out from other groups. In Guiglo 60 bodies were found, including a number of West Africans. According to the United Nations, due to
12513-536: The morning of 7 April. On 8 April pro-Ouattara forces continued to besiege Gbagbo in his residence. Ouattara said a blockade had been set up around the perimeter to make the district safe for residents. He said his forces would wait for Gbagbo to run out of food and water. However, Paris-based adviser Toussaint Alain to Gbagbo said that Gbagbo would not surrender. Also on this day, Gbagbo forces using heavy weaponry such as rockets, grenade launchers and tanks were reported to have resumed fighting in Abidjan, taking control of
12642-549: 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
12771-579: The northwest of the country, launched an armed insurrection against Taylor. In March 2003, a second rebel group, Movement for Democracy in Liberia , began launching attacks against Taylor from the southeast. Peace talks between the factions began in Accra in June of that year, and Taylor was indicted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) for crimes against humanity the same month. By July 2003,
12900-526: The number of eligible voters. (The loser actually received around 60% of the eligible vote.) Soon after, allegations of modern slavery in Liberia led the League of Nations to establish the Christy Commission . Findings included government involvement in widespread "forced or compulsory labour". Minority ethnic groups especially were exploited in a system that enriched well-connected elites. As
13029-472: 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
13158-465: The politically dominant and mostly Christian southerners. In 2002 France sent its troops to Ivory Coast ( Opération Licorne ) as peacekeepers . In February 2004 the United Nations established the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) "to facilitate the implementation by the Ivorian parties of the peace agreement signed by them in January 2003". Most of the fighting ended by late 2004, with
13287-469: The population) and the displacement of many more, with Liberia's economy shrinking by 90%. A peace agreement in 2003 led to democratic elections in 2005 . The country has remained relatively stable since then. The presence of Oldowan artifacts in West Africa was confirmed by Michael Omolewa , attesting to the presence of ancient humans. Undated Acheulean (ESA) artifacts are well documented across West Africa . The emerging chronometric record of
13416-584: The presidential palace. The same day General Philippe Mangou , the military chief of Laurent Gbagbo, called for a ceasefire. Following calls for ceasefire by Gbagbo's military officials, it was reported that fighting has ceased in Abidjan. Special UN representative Choi Young-jin stated that all Gbagbo's top generals had defected and that "the war is over". Gbagbo had been negotiating a surrender; French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said that they were close to convincing Gbagbo to leave power. The ECOWAS bloc promised
13545-609: The rebels had launched an assault on Monrovia . Under heavy pressure from the international community and the domestic Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace movement, Taylor resigned in August 2003 and went into exile in Nigeria . A peace deal was signed later that month. The United Nations Mission in Liberia began arriving in September 2003 to provide security and monitor the peace accord, and an interim government took power
13674-482: The resulting trade. Their passage of the 1865 Ports of Entry Act prohibited foreign commerce with the inland tribes, ostensibly to "encourage the growth of civilized values" before such trade was allowed in the region. By 1877, the True Whig Party was the country's most powerful political entity. It was made up primarily of Americo-Liberians, who maintained social, economic and political dominance well into
13803-478: 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,
13932-532: 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
14061-408: The side of Laurent Gbagbo. Liberian and United Nations officials said the general was correct to suspect Liberian mercenaries of crossing into Ivory Coast to help Gbagbo stay in power. Harrison S. Karnwea Sr., Liberia's interior minister said, however, that both sides were recruiting Liberian mercenaries. By 2 April 1,400 French and other foreign nationals (900 of whom were Lebanese citizens) entered
14190-520: The site with coiled razor wire and guarded the premises with white UN armored personnel carriers and security checks for visitors. Liberia Liberia ( / l aɪ ˈ b ɪər i ə / ), officially the Republic of Liberia , is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to its northwest , Guinea to its north , Ivory Coast to its east , and
14319-569: The stability of all neighboring countries". Seeking to move the Ivorians away from border settlements, the United Nations has opened a camp about 25 miles inside Liberia. Refugees are also starting to cross in significant numbers into Ghana . According to UK shadow international development minister Mark Lazarowicz , the UN aid programmes for Ivory Cost and Liberia are "grossly underfunded". Although many thousands of Ivorians remain in Liberia, convoys of Ivorian refugees – each convoy containing
14448-439: The total number of known dead in a 28–29 March incident to 244. Victims mostly or all of Guere ethnicity, traditional Gbagbo supporters. Some seem to have been burnt alive and some corpses were thrown down a well. In addition to the issue of the presidency, the root cause of the massacre was believed to be over cocoa land and farming rights. The Guere are the traditional land-owners of the region; but migrant workers perform much of
14577-571: The trade of Liberia. This was a cause for concern among the British colonial authorities of Sierra Leone and the French colonial authorities of French Guinea and the Ivory Coast as tensions with Germany increased. Liberia remained neutral during World War I until August 4, 1917, when it declared war on Germany. Subsequently, it was one of 32 nations to take part in the Versailles Peace Conference in 1919, which ended
14706-443: The tunnel into the house and arrest him. Gbagbo, his wife, son 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. Unknown attackers wielding machetes and various guns were reported to have killed over 1,000 civilians in a neighbourhood of the town of Duékoué , which was largely controlled by forces fighting to install
14835-414: The two sides, the crisis entered a critical stage as Ouattara's forces seized control of most of the country with the help of the UN, with Gbagbo entrenched in Abidjan , the country's largest city. International organizations have reported numerous instances of human rights violations by both sides, in particular in the city of Duékoué where Ouattara's forces killed hundreds of people. Overall casualties of
14964-491: The war and established the League of Nations ; Liberia was among the few African and non-Western nations to participate in the conference and the founding of the league. In 1927, the country's elections again showed the power of the True Whig Party, with electoral proceedings that have been called some of the most rigged ever; the winning candidate was declared to have received votes amounting to more than 15 times
15093-477: The war are estimated around 3000. The UN and French forces took military action, with the stated objective to protect their forces and civilians . France's forces arrested Gbagbo at his residence on 11 April 2011. A civil war was fought in Ivory Coast between 2002 and 2004 between the incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo and the rebel Forces Nouvelles de Côte d'Ivoire (New Forces), representing Muslim northerners who felt that they were being discriminated against by
15222-405: The western town of Soubré were taken without resistance. The port city of San Pédro , the world's largest cocoa exporting port, fell to the RFCI in the early hours of 31 March as did the nearby coastal town of Sassandra . On the same day Ivory Coast's borders with neighbouring countries were ordered to be sealed by Ouattara's forces. On 30 March United Nations Security Council Resolution 1975
15351-643: Was "almost universally acknowledged to have defeated [Gbagbo] at the ballot box," and called for Gbagbo to step down. On 18 December, Gbagbo ordered all UN peacekeepers to leave the country. The UN refused and the UN Security Council extended the mandate of the UN Mission in Ivory Coast until 30 June 2011. However, negotiations to resolve the dispute failed to achieve any satisfactory outcome. Hundreds of people were killed in escalating violence between pro-Gbagbo and pro-Ouattara partisans and at least
15480-457: 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
15609-492: 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,
15738-439: 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
15867-465: 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
15996-459: Was because they faced racial discrimination in the form of political disenfranchisement and the denial of civil, religious, and social rights. Formed in 1816, the American Colonization Society (ACS) was made up mostly of Quakers and slaveholders. Quakers believed black people would face better chances for freedom in Africa than in the U.S. While slaveholders opposed freedom for enslaved people, some viewed "repatriation" of free people of color as
16125-674: Was in the Catholic Mission in Duékoué, where at one point church officials estimated 28,000 displaced were staying each night. The displaced persons ultimately were relocated from the Catholic Mission to the Nahibly camp on the outskirts of Duékoué. The camp was burned down by attackers in July 2012, killing 7 and chasing about 5,000 people from their temporary homes. General Gueu Michel, the commander of Ouattara's forces in western Ivory Coast, said that Liberian mercenaries were fighting on
16254-533: Was issued which, in particular, urged all Ivorian parties to respect the will of the people and the election of Alassane Ouattara as President of Ivory Coast, as recognised by ECOWAS, the African Union and the rest of the international community and reiterated that UNOCI could use "all necessary measures" in its mandate to protect civilians under imminent threat of attack. The fighting was reported to have caused heavy damage in some contested towns, from which
16383-551: Was preferable to having emancipated slaves remain in the United States. Similar state-based organizations established colonies in Mississippi-in-Africa , Kentucky in Africa , and the Republic of Maryland , which Liberia later annexed. Lincoln in 1862 described Liberia as only "in a certain sense...a success", and proposed instead that free people of color be assisted to emigrate to Chiriquí , today part of Panama. The Americo-Liberian settlers did not relate well to
16512-554: Was reached in 1995, leading to Taylor's election as president in 1997 . Under Taylor's leadership, Liberia became a pariah state due to its use of blood diamonds and illegal timber exports to fund the Revolutionary United Front in the Sierra Leone Civil War . The Second Liberian Civil War began in 1999 when Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy , a rebel group based in
16641-567: 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 was assisted by French forces using helicopters and armoured vehicles, although the actual capture was made by Ouattara's troops. There have been persistent rumors that French special forces blew up a wall blocking a tunnel between the French Embassy and Gbagbo's residence in Abidjan; Ivorian forces loyal to Ouattara then rushed through
#96903