ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast — Heavy gunfire has erupted in the Ivory Coast capital on Thursday, news agencies report.
A senior official, who refused to be named, told Reuters the shooting was “definitely a coup attempt” but there was no independent confirmation.
The official added there had also been gunfire in the towns of Bouake and Korhogo.
The gunfire, both heavy weapons and small arms, began at about 4 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) in Abidjan, residents told international news agencies.
Residents told reporters gunfire was first heard near the paramilitary gendarmerie in the city.
Janine Digiovanni, a correspondent with the UK’s Times newspaper, told CNN mortar and gunshots had been heard and that the streets were deserted of civilians.
She said it was not clear if the gunfire was a coup attempt or soldiers angry at being demobilsed but added that the presence of mortar fire indicated some sort of military involvement.
There has been no official statements on state radio and President Laurent Gbagbo was in Italy, she added.
Gbagbo’s top aides were holding an emergency meeting to discuss what their next move should be, Reuters reported.
In 1999, a coup ended Ivory Coast’s reputation as a beacon of relative political and economic stability in the region and brought General Robert Guei to power.
He was swept from power the following year after street protests against his attempts to rig the general election and prevent Gbagbo from becoming president.
Guei last week accused Gbagbo’s government of mismanagement and of detaining a number of civilians and soldiers without good reason or any explanation.
Hundreds of people died in the violence and confusion following the 2000 elections in the country which is split between the largely Muslim north of former Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara and the more Christian and animist south.
Western countries and international donors have applauded moves to defuse political tension in Ivory Coast and Gbagbo’s recent inclusion of ministers from the main opposition in his government.
Source: GhanaWeb
