Ivory Coast military repel attack on major base

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Tuesday January 3, 3:02 AM

Ivory Coast military repel attack on major base

Ivory Coast troops crushed a pre-dawn assault with heavy weapons on a military base west of the economic capital Abidjan, with three soldiers and 10 of the attackers killed, the army said.

Heavy fighting took place at the Akouedo base near the west African port city, but soon after 10:00 am (1000 GMT) army chief of staff General Philippe Mangou said on national radio and television "the situation is under control" and later denied rumours of a mutiny.

The army took prisoners, soldiers told AFP reporters at the base, which houses the 1st Infantry Battalion and a paratroop commando battalion in nearby premises. Dead bodies in civilian clothes were identified only as being some of the attackers. The corpses wore good-luck charms known as gris-gris.

The battle brought normal activity in Abidjan to a halt because rumours of it spread rapidly. The security forces put up many roadblocks and the central Plateau business district was deserted at the end of the morning. The country has been militarily and politically split in two since a rebellion in late 2002.
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