U.N., French fire on Gbagbo’s residence

The head of the United Nations and French President Nicolas Sarkozy authorized the strikes that began on Sunday evening, accusing Mr, Gbagbo of continuing to use heavy weapons against civilians in his bid to hang on to office more than four months after losing the presidential electio

Soldiers allied with Alassane Ouattara walk down a street in the Youpougon neighbourhood of Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Sunday. Human Rights Watch, in a report obtained by The Associated Press , called on Mr. Ouattara to investigate and prosecute abuses by his forces and those supporting his rival, strongman Laurent Gbagbo. Photo: AP.

U.N. and French helicopters fired rockets on the presidential residence where Laurent Gbagbo is clinging to power, and the French president said on Monday the strikes were in retaliation for attacks on U.N. personnel, foreign diplomatic missions and civilians.

The head of the United Nations and French President Nicolas Sarkozy authorized the strikes that began on Sunday evening, accusing Mr, Gbagbo of continuing to use heavy weapons against civilians in his bid to hang on to office more than four months after losing the presidential election.

Jean—Pierre Mignard, a lawyer for the internationally recognized winner of the November vote, said on Monday he supported the French and U.N. strikes.

“We are satisfied because the Gbagbo residence is a headquarters, and it is from this headquarters that shots from heavy weaponry are being fired,” Mr. Mignard told Europe—1 radio. “Gbagbo is in the process of creating a situation of civil war to make the situation impossible.”

Mr. Gbagbo has lost control of virtually the entire West African country over the last two weeks as forces loyal to internationally recognized winner Alassane Ouattara have swept down from the north and west into the commercial capital of Abidjan.

U.N. and French then joined the effort, and a first round of U.N. and French airstrikes destroyed much of his arsenal of tanks, mortars and other heavy weapons.

Forces loyal to Mr. Gbagbo had been encircled at the presidential residence but broke out on Saturday, ambushing a patrol of pro—Ouattara soldiers and advancing downtown. Pro—Gbagbo forces also attacked U.N. headquarters on Saturday and again on Sunday, and also have attacked the hotel where Mr. Ouattara’s administration is based.

On Sunday, residents from nearby neighbourhoods reported seeing two U.N. Mi—24 attack helicopters and a French helicopter open fire on the residence, where Mr. Gbagbo is holed up in a bunker. The residents couldn’t be named for fear of reprisals.

An Associated Press reporter saw the helicopters take off from the French military base followed minutes later by explosions coming from the direction of the residence. Successive waves of French helicopters took off from the base in the following hours and additional bombardments could be heard.

Mr. Gbagbo has been living in a bunker in his residence in Abidjan for nearly a week. After a decade in power, he refuses to step aside even though the United Nations has ruled that he lost the November election to Mr. Ouattara.

Pro—Ouattara forces began an offensive late last month to install him in power, sweeping across the country in just days before meeting resistance in Abidjan. Human Rights Watch has accused the pro—Ouattara forces of killing hundreds of civilians, raping political opponents and burning villages during the offensive to try to put Mr. Ouattara in office.

“Everyone here is traumatized. We’ve all lost something, a member of the family, our homes, our belongings,” said Philomene Houe, a 39—year—old soap maker in Duekoue, a town in the country’s southwest where hundreds have been killed in post—election violence.

“While the international community has been focused on the political stalemate over the presidency, forces on both sides have committed numerous atrocities against civilians, their leaders showing little interest in reining them in,” said Daniel Bekele, Human Rights Watch Africa director.