Pretoria - Forces loyal to the former president of Cote d'Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo - who refuses to step down despite his electoral defeat - have opened fire towards UN peacekeepers in a new "act of aggression," according to the UN envoy on the ground there.
"The situation is very, very hostile but our spirit remains high," special representative and head of the UN Operation in C"te d'Ivoire (UNOCI) YJ Choi, said on Tuesday.
In the latest attack, UN peacekeepers stationed at the Pullman Hotel, in Abidjan, were waiting for the arrival last night of the AU emissary, Kenya's Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who was escorted by a UNOCI patrol, when a group of young people from the Gbagbo camp encircled them.
"The armed elements, which were supporting them, opened fire in the direction of the UNOCI vehicles, forcing the peacekeepers to respond by shooting in the air," the mission, which has around 9 000 peacekeepers, said in a press statement.
The Kenyan Prime Minister, who is accompanied by a very strong delegation, is also expected to hold meetings with both sides in Abidjan.
Gbagbo has refused to step down despite the internationally recognised victory of opposition leader Alassane Ouattara in November's run-off elections.
Peacekeepers from UNOCI are currently protecting Ouattara and members of his new government in Abidjan's Golf Hotel against the already six-week blockade siege by Gbagbo loyalists.
The Security Council is expected on Wednesday, on a resolution to authorise another 2 000 peacekeepers, as well as the temporary transfer of three armed helicopters, from the UN peacekeeping mission in neighbouring Liberia. Gbagbo has demanded UNOCI's withdrawal - which the UN has rejected.
Choi said they will continue to provide "rapid reaction capability" essential for the protection of civilians both in Abidjan, where Gbagbo loyalists have launched attacks, and in the country's west, which has seen an outburst of ethnic fighting.
Until ten days ago, the Gbagbo loyalists' hostility was largely confined to rhetoric and propaganda on television but now it has been transformed into actions, he noted.
"They are shooting at our convoys; fortunately nobody got killed yet but it's very close. They are shooting at us and they attacked and ransacked provision trucks at 4 o'clock in the afternoon escorted by UN security forces," said Choi.
Choi added that the Gbagbo forces are mostly using and paying youth groups, numbering in the hundreds to the thousands, "to attack us and we cannot fire at civilians."
The turmoil from the elections has displaced tens of thousands of people, mainly in the west of the country where an ethnic conflict has erupted.
