Crisis in Ivory Coast continues

Violence continued in the capital of Ivory Coast today, with at least one policeman killed during clashes between supporters of defeated incumbent Laurent Gbagbo and the internationally-recognized president-elect, Alassane Ouattara.

Gunfire and explosions from heavier weapons continued for several hours all across the pro-Ouattara neighbourhood of Abobo on Wednesday, a day after armed clashes in the same neighbourhood killed at least five people, three of them security forces.

Ivory Coast has been in turmoil since a Nov. 28 presidential election that both the country’s independent Electoral Commission and the overwhelming majority of international observers including France, the US, the EU and the UN have called in favour of challenger Alassane Ouattara.

Nevertheless, incumbent Laurent Gbagbo refuses to step down, and the resulting standoff risks rekindling a 2002-3 civil war.

Ouattara has called for international intervention to remove Gbagbo by force, if necessary.

Meanwhile, international efforts at peaceful mediation continue.

Former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasananjo visited both the defeated incumbent and the president-elect this week.

He told reporters the military option is still on the table.

Nigeria is the most likely candidate to lead a joint military intervention by regional powers – but Nigeria is occupied at home by a growing Islamic terror threat, and other regional powers including Niger, Mali and Mauritania are facing al Qaeda insurgencies.

Violence in Ivory Coast has led to the death of more than 200 people since the poll, and fears of further conflict have prompted more than 20,000 people to flee into neighbouring Liberia.

Listen to Linda Bordoni's report: