Post-electoral tensions and confusion in Ivory Coast

The head of Ivory Coast's electoral commission declared opposition leader Alassane Ouattara the winner of the country's contested presidential election on Thursday, before ruling party loyalists called the announcement an «attempted coup» and denounced the results.

Delayed for five years, the election was meant to reunite the west African nation after a civil war fought between 2002 and 2003.

Instead, the vote has exposed north-south divisions and sparked violence.

After repeated delays due to wrangling within his
organisation over the results, election commission chairman Youssouf Bakayoko announced that Ouattara had won the Nov. 28 vote with 54.1 percent of the vote.

Ivory Coast's military sealed air, land and sea
Borders after the Constitutional Council – the body that must ratify the result - said the commission's announcement was illegal.

The Ivorian media regulator also announced the suspension of the signal for French broadcaster Canal Plus Horizon.

Satellite channel France24 and Radio France International FM were also off air.

the U.N. Security Council warned Ivory Coast that it was
prepared to take what it referred to as "appropriate measures", against anyone thwarting the electoral process.

Later, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement saying he, “assures the people of Ivory Coast that the [U.N. mission] will undertake all possible actions, within its mandate, to help keep the electoral process on track, to preserve peace and security in the country.”

The International Criminal Court issued a statement on Thursday, as well, saying it would be monitoring acts of violence.

Listen to this report by Charles Collins: