twelve.24pm: Our Africa correspondent David Smith, who are going to be answering your issues from the feedback section at 1pm, has offered some evaluation of the choices open to Gbagbo as the web closes approximately him:
The deputy leader of Ivory Coast's rebel forces advised me previous month that they have no intention of killing him, but fairly want him to stand trial on the International Criminal Court, following the illustration of former president Charles Taylor in neighbouring Liberia. There may be increasing demand for this in the wake of some hideous human rights abuses more than the previous 4 months.
David says speak of Gbagbo, a former history professor, currently being given amnesty and taking up a instructing position from the Usa is very long gone:
But he could still go into exile, perhaps across the border in Ghana, which was one of the countries that place the brakes on a mooted west African army intervention. Other candidates are Angola, where president Jose Eduardo dos Santos is an outdated ally, or Zimbabwe, where by president Robert Mugabe always welcomes any opportunity to goad the west. Zimbabwe currently supplies refuge to former Ethiopian dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam, wished for that notorious 'Red Terror' marketing campaign.
Then there exists South Africa, recently a bolthole for the two former Madagascan president Marc Ravalomanana and exiled Haitian leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who returned to his homeland last month. It really is by now being joked that Aristide's luxury villa in Pretoria is now
empty and accessible for Gbagbo to maneuver in. South Africa angered Gbagbo's rival, Alassane Ouattara, by refusing to consider sides more than last year's election, despite the fact that it's got subsequently arrive on board with all the rest of your African Union in endorsing Ouattara. However, by
providing Gbagbo some breathing area, South Africa could fend off internal critics who say it has come to be subservient towards the west, not least over Libya.
But each of the noises coming from Gbagbo's bunker right now appear to echo Churchill's "in defeat, defiance" - using a consequence that could resemble Hitler's fate in 1945.
12.15pm: Gbagbo is going to be captured inside the upcoming couple of several hours, in keeping with a spokeswoman for Ouattara. Speaking to CNN she said:
The Republican forces of Cote d'Ivoire are in Laurent Gbagbo's residence. I think within just one hour they will capture Gbagbo. Inside a person hour or two several hours.
She confirmed that a gun battle is happening inside the residence and extra that only Republican forces, allayed to Ouattara, are associated with the fighting, not UN or French troops.
11.53am: Ibrahim Coulibaly, a spokesman for your Ivory Coast embassy in France, just told al-Jazeera English Gbabgo is "still in his bunker". He mentioned:
Gbabgo is still denying the end result in the election, so right now we determined to go and get him out of his bunker.
Coulibaly claimed they had no intention of harming Gbagbo but had no other decision than to make use of force to have him out of his bunker.
"That's the only usually means now, we failed to have any option. Now we have been wanting to negotiate with him."
Coulibaly denied that any French forces are involved in the assault.
eleven.37am: Affoussy Bamba, spokeswoman for that federal government on the president elect, Ouattara, has advised France-24 that Gbagbo will probably be captured "soon". She claimed:
With the existing minute they've got not but captured Gbagbo however it will materialize quickly. They opened the gates and mentioned the residence is surrounded by hefty weaponry. Now the goal is always to capture him.
Members of Ouattara's forces are reportedly underneath stringent recommendations from your president-elect's federal government to take Gbago unharmed.
eleven.18am: Forces loyal to Ouattara are attacking Gbagbo's palace and are arranging to consider him from his bunker but the incumbent president even now has some security defending him, Selay Koussi studies in a very Skype interview from Abidjan.
From my property I can listen to gunfire. Ouattara forces are firing on the bunker. They said they're going to catch Mr Gbagbo in his home. Gbagbo will not be showing any indication of resigning. Possibly only by in this way will he surrender. He is being protected by a handful of faithful militiamen and protection guards.
We desire for a joyful ending or else it's heading to become very challenging.
_
eleven.12am: You will find there's "real danger" that Gbabgo, his spouse and other household members could possibly be killed while in the assault about the presidential palace, his European representative Toussaint Alain has informed AP.
Alain claimed French forces are firing from two Puma helicopters and also from the rooftop in the French ambassador's residence nearby. He mentioned:
France will probably be held responsible for the death of President Gbagbo, his spouse and spouse and children members and all those who are inside of the residence, which is becoming bombarded from the French army.
French Army Spokesman Thierry Burkhard denied that French forces are firing on the residence.
eleven.02am: Residents throughout the presidential palace in Abidjan's Cocody neighbourhood say they have heard major gunfire and loud explosions coming from the route on the palace, Reuters reviews. Alfred Kouassi, who lives close to Gbagbo's residence in Cocody, informed the news company:
I've noticed from my constructing the FRCI fighters (Ouattara forces) in pick-ups and 4x4 jeeps rushing in the direction of Gbagbo's residence, weapons in their fingers. We can listen to automatic gunfire and in addition the thuds of heavy weapons coming from the residence.
ten.53am: A Gbagbo representative claims French forces are firing on the embattled Ivorian leader's residence, AP studies.
A French government spokesman has told Reuters its forces usually are not participating in on-the-ground fighting round the presidential residence palace.
Dwell blog page: Twitter
10.44am: The BBC's Andrew Harding tweets:
I can listen to hefty bombardment in Abidjan. Has Gbagbo been haggling too extended in his bunker? Country badly demands relaxed ending to this.
ten.41am: Fabrice Zagbayou, a Gbagbo supporter and business enterprise analyst from Abidjan, says he fears for his existence inside current assault.
Zagbayou, an lively Twitter consumer from the metropolis, informed the Guardian:
Laurent Gbagbo won the election. We do not need to have bombing, we do not have to have another leader. The French army bombed civilians, the French army bombed the president. This isn't democracy. It's not acceptable.
Sounding close to tears he added:
"The French army say they desire to safe Abidjan. It can be wrong. It's incorrect. We believe they are going to destroy Laurent Gbagbo. Ouattara militia and French troops are shooting now. I'm frightened for my life. I am frightened that if the Ouattara militia obtain me they'll kill me."
A French federal government spokesman has said French forces usually are not taking part in on-the-ground fighting around the presidential residence, in keeping with Reuters.
10.36am: Forces loyal to Ouattara have stormed the palace the place Gbagbo is sheltering within a bunker, a spokeswoman for your forces told Reuters. Affousy Bamba mentioned:
Yes they (Ouattara forces) are inside approach of coming into the residence to seize Gbagbo, they've not taken him nonetheless, but they are inside method, there're while in the building.
10.22am: There is a valuable Q&A on the crisis by Richard Downie, deputy director of your Africa programme on the Washington-based Centre for Strategic Global Studies.
His answer on what happens subsequent is most pertinent:
By holding out for so extended, Gbagbo has lost any right to negotiate the terms of his exit. In an ideal scenario, he should prepare for the trip towards the Global Criminal Court, whose prosecutors are already closely monitoring events in Côte d'Ivoire. It remains for being observed whether a different African region might help him escape this fate by offering him a quiet exile.
President Ouattara faces the formidable challenge of healing a deeply divided nation in which a sizeable minority openly queries his right to govern. Having been denied his right to win control with the nation through the ballot box, he has ultimately claimed it by force. The heavy fighting of the past few days has led to excesses by both equally sides from the conflict. The FRCI has been accused from the Worldwide Committee of your Red Cross of currently being involved with a massacre from the town of Duékoué, though Ouattara strongly denies this claim. In addition, the incoming president will inevitably face the politically damaging claim that he was propelled to power by the French, Côte d'Ivoire's previous colonial masters. A
All of these factors dent Ouattara's credibility. For these reasons, his main priority on taking office will likely be to promote national reconciliation. Ouattara will require to act with restraint toward people that opposed him and would be advised to reach out to his erstwhile enemies by including some with the more moderate Gbagbo loyalists in his federal government. There remains cause for hope despite the challenges. Ivoirian political leaders have shown an impressive capacity to patch up their differences from the past; people skills are going to be needed again inside coming weeks and months.
ten.08am: The Guardian's stringer, Selay Koussi, says gunfire has restarted in Abidjan after the FRCI, the pro-Outtara forces, announced that they are going to "take Gbagbo from his bunker where by he is hiding".
These are heading into the presidential palace.
It appears that they have lost patience with attempts to negotiate Gbagbo's surrender.
ten.01am: The Guardian's Africa correspondent David Smith is going to be taking part in a very Q&A from the feedback section below at 1pm.
- You may be interested in finding out more about the two sides of your conflict, tribal allegiances, their culpability for war crimes.
- Or you may be interested inside the global aspects of your conflict, the role with the UN and/or France and the scope the crisis has to affect other countries within the region.
- Alternatively, you may have concerns about the humanitarian cost with the crisis.
Simply post your question in the remarks section and David will try to respond.
9.51am: Gbagbo is resisting pressure in the United Nations and France to sign a document renouncing his claim to power, in an additional setback to hopes that he will leave office imminently, Reuters studies.
From his bunker wherever he's surrounded by troops loyal to Ouattara, Gbagbo informed French Radio RFI nowadays:
We are usually not on the negotiating stage. And my departure from in which? to go where?
But Gbagbo federal government spokesman Ahoua Don Mello, who was taking part in negotiations, advised Reuters the parties are nonetheless in talks. He claimed:
"Some points are even now being discussed. Nothing has been signed, Gbagbo has not signed anything."
9.47am: There's serious gunfire in the vicinity of Gbagbo's residence, France 24 is reporting, citing witnesses. No further details have been offered.
9.17am: Gbagbo's refusal to surrender is prompting fears of more violence in Abidjan, our stringer within the city, Selay Koussi, studies. (There is brief echo about the line at first but it gets better).
The site is quiet, nevertheless it is simply not safe because you some have militia men that are nevertheless faithful Mr Gbagbo who ransacking shops and supermarkets.
Many many families are running from basic foodstuffs and water.
Many many people consider that the UN and French forces again might restart the bombing to place pressure on him [Gbagbo] to relinquish power. Many people were disappointment that he mentioned he was not heading to recognise Mr Ouattara because the victor of your election. I'm afraid that if French troops and UN forces use helicopters and start firing rockets in the bunker of Mr Gbagbo the violence will raise again. People are very angry throughout Abidjan. They consider that Mr Gbagbo is playing a nasty game while using international community. They assume he's looking to get time to escape.
This day is incredibly crucial. If nothing is done within the subsequent 24 several hours the population might go on for the streets because they are running out of basic foodstuffs and water. This might bring the country within the verge of each chaos and collapse.
_
9.01am: The Guardian has a story up about Gbagbo's denial that he's preparing to surrender. He told French news channel LCI:
I won the election and I am not negotiating my departure. I come across it absolutely incredible that the entire world is playing this ... game of poker.
He also insisted he had no intention of getting a martyr:
"I'm not a kamikaze. I love lifestyle. My voice just isn't the voice of a martyr, no, no, no, I am not looking for death. It really is not my aim to die."
-
8.56am: With most people assuming Gbabgo's surrender is only a matter of time, attention is turning to what will come about after his departure. On Comment is Free, Adekeye Adebajo, director of your Centre for Conflict, writes that equally sides have a case to answer:
Both equally sides are already accused of committing atrocities. Gbagbo and Ouattara must thus be set on notice that they will be held accountable for war crimes committed by their fighters. The financial and travel sanctions recently imposed from the UN on Gbagbo, his Lady Macbethian wife Simone, and other associates, should also be extended to other peace "spoilers".
French troops must do more than just protect the airport in order to evacuate western nationals in yet one more illustration of an "aristocracy of death", in which the lives of foreigners are deemed to be worth more than these of Africans. In addition, genuine suspicions persist about the stance adopted by pro-Ouattara France, whose previous self-interested interventions in Africa, and continuing support for local autocrats, cast the Gallic power inside role of a fox guarding a hen-house.
Adebajo also says other African countries have an important part to play in post-Gbagbo reconciliation:
Nigeria and South Africa must use their presence within the UN safety council effectively to help craft a peaceful outcome. The African Union should help to negotiate a safe exit for Gbagbo and press Ouattara to bring in his rival's supporters into any future authorities. Nigeria, South Africa and Angola must speak with a person voice to ensure that any agreement sticks.
8.46am: France's armed forces chief Edouard Guillaud has advised Europe 1 radio that Gbagbo is negotiating his surrender - the president has denied he is doing so - and could quit office in "a matter of hours". He mentioned:
They (negotiations) continued through the night but unfortunately I see no breakthrough for now. Despite that, I believe it truly is a matter of hours, maybe during the day.
Guillard also said strikes against Gbagbo's camp could resume at the request from the United Nations and if he continued to refuse to step down.
Earlier, the French foreign minister, Alain Juppe informed France Info radio the one thing left to discuss with Gbagbo was his departure. Juppe stated:
"This obstinacy is absurd. Gbagbo has no future henceforth. Everybody's dropped him. He's holed up in his residence. Using the United Nations, and that is in the helm, we are heading to continue to exert pressure on him to face up to reality."
8.36am: Because the standoff in the presidential palace continues, the pro-Ouattara television station TCI has been putting pressure on Gbagbo/mocking the incumbent president by playing extracts from Downfall, the film about Adolf Hitler's final days in his bunker in Berlin.
How lengthy will it be before someone creates a Gbagbo-inspired parody with the famous scene where Hitler launches into a furious tirade upon finally realizing that the war is truly lost?
8.23am: Good morning. Welcome to reside coverage of events in the Ivory Coast. Here's a summary from the latest developments:
• President Laurent Gbago remains holed up in a very bunker with his relatives and a handful of supporters at his palace in Abidjan. Forces loyal to his rival, Alassane Ouattara, surrounded his residence on Tuesday after UN helicopters attacked Gbagbo's arms stockpiles and bases.
• Gbago's spokesman, the UN and the French have all mentioned that the incumbent president is negotiating his surrender. However, inside of a telephone interview with French news channel LCI, the incumbent president insisted "no decision has nonetheless been taken".
• A ceasefire declared by Gbagbo's generals in Abidjan yesterday appears to become holding, though the UN says there has been "sporadic shooting" by gangs of youths not allied to either the incumbent president or his rival.
• There are fears of a humanitarian crisis with people confined to their houses through the fighting. Food, medical supplies and water are all in short supply in Abidjan. Many people are also without electricity. There have also been armed, xenophobic attacks against west African nationals and Malian migrants, with guns and knives.
