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Attempted Coup Virtually Quashed In Ivory Coast
ABIDJAN (AFP) - An attempted coup d'etat early Monday in Abidjan has been virtually quashed "on all fronts except the television building", Ivory Coast Defence Minister Moise Lida Kouassi said amid heavy fighting in Ivory Coast's economic capital.
The fighting started at around 11:30 pm (2330 GMT) Sunday when assailants concentrating their attacks on the downtown radio building and the television center in the residential neighborhood of Cocody.
Television and radio broadcasts were cut off shortly afterwards and had not resumed by 1:30 am, by which time the shooting was dying down.
"As I speak to you, the situation is under control," Boga Doudou declared shortly before 12:30 am (0030 GMT).
Intense automatic weapons fire and some artillery shots were heard in various parts of Abidjan, notably around the radio and more sporadically near the television headquarters and Abidjan's main gendarmerie headquarters, Camp Agban, on the edge of the working class Adjame district.
No toll from the fighting was immediately available and the situation on the ground remained confused. It was not possible to say which strategic points were in the hands of which forces.
Lida Kouassi said that the attack had been carried out by "elements in plainclothes" who had arrived in unmarked vehicles.
Questioned shortly before 1:00 am, he described the situation as "still a bit dangerous" but said it would be "under control by the morning."
The defence minister said an assault on the presidential palace had been repulsed by republican guard elite troops.
Ivorian ministers said they had been informed several days ago that a coup was being hatched, but could not speculate on who was behind it.
However, Lida Kouassi said: "I was told that among the attackers was one of the people who had moved in against the residence of [Robert] Guei."
The residence of Guei, head of the military junta that ruled Ivory Coast from December 1999 to October 2000, was reportedly the target of an attack by followers of former prime minister Alassane Ouattara on the night of September 17, 2000.
The former numbers two and three in the junta, Generals Lassana Palenfo and Abdoulaye Coulibaly, had been accused by General Guei of having ordered the attack, a charge they have always denied. The two are still in detention.
Unconfirmed reports said the assailants early Monday tried to free Palenfo. Coulibaly, contacted by the press, said he was still being detained in the gendarmerie camp here.
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