The UN Security Council convenes an urgent meeting to discuss the situation in Côte d'Ivoire
The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon convened an emergency meeting of the Security Council on Monday 28 February 2011, to discuss the situation in Côte d'Ivoire. The Secretary General's call comes in the wake of reports that there has been a delivery of three attack helicopters from Belarus and support material at Yamoussoukro airport, for Laurent Gbagbo's forces, Côte d'Ivoire's leader who has refused to step down after a disputed election.
Both Belarus and Laurent Gbagbo's camp have denied these reports.
Back on the streets, the UN mission in Côte d'Ivoire, UNOCI, has accused forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo of injuring three peace-keepers in an ambush in Abobo, in the PK-18 area. There have been reports of direct exchange of fire between UN soldiers and defense forces in Abobo.
The UN has already warned that the country risks relapsing into a civil war if the current situation is not contained. According to the UN, the death toll has risen to around 315 and thousands of people are leaving their homes to seek refuge in the neighboring countries.
In the meantime, Alassane Ouattara’s faction has tasked a group of ten French and Ivorian lawyers to prepare a dossier to be forwarded the ICC prosecutor with a view to carrying out investigations on the ongoing violations of human rights in Côte d'Ivoire. According to Alassane Ouattara’s Justice Minister Jeannot Ahousou, a first meeting has already been held with the ICC prosecutor and the team was scheduled to meet the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on March 1 in Geneva.