A military spokesman in Ivory Coast says that French helicopters were fired upon during an evacuation mission by forces supporting the country’s strongman, who refuses to emerge from a bunker at his residence.
Cmdr. Frederic Daguillon, military spokesman for the French base in Ivory Coast, said on Saturday that no soldiers were injured in the attack, but that French helicopters fired back at forces supporting Laurent Gbagbo and destroyed at least one armoured vehicle.
He said the diplomatic evacuation mission was aborted.
The French embassy was also hit by two mortars and a rocket fired by Mr. Gbagbo’s forces.
Forces supporting the democratically elected president have tried to force Mr. Gbagbo from his bunker but he refuses to emerge or cede power.
