The UN force in Côte d'Ivoire (Unoci) are "prepared for anything" after Laurent Gbagbo's order that they should leave by Monday, its spokesperson said Sunday.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has rejected Gbagbo's call and warned of "consequences" for anyone who attacks international troops.
"We're going to continue our patrols but we're not seeking confrontation. There are sensitive areas where we don't go, near the presidency," said Unoci's Hamadoun Touré.
"We're increasing our vigilance, and we're ready for anything."
The force is investigating Friday night's attack by uniformed men on a UN patrol, Touré said.
Unoci's operation officially ends on 20 December, which was set as the date to discuss renewing its mandate. The UN's mission ends on 31 December.
Ban said he was "deeply concerned" about that attack and two others, one by the Young Patriots movement which backs Gbagbo on Saturday.
"There will be consequences for those who have perpetrated or orchestrated any such actions or do so in the future," he warned.
About 800 UN troops are protecting the hotel where Gbagbo's rival, Alassane Ouattara, has his headquarters. The UN, along with Western and many African states, have recognised Ouattara as the winner of last month's presidential election.
Gbagbo also ordered France's 900 troops to leave. Paris said this week that its Licorne (Unicorn) contingent could be used to ensure the safe departure of the 15,000 French civilians living in Côte d'Ivoire if necessary.
The Unoci mission deployed in 2004 to help end a civil war between Gbagbo's southern forces and northern rebels dubbed the New Forces, who back Ouattara.
Gbagbo's order increase fears of a new conflict.
"Play time is over," Charles Blé Goudé, Gbagbo's minister for youth declared Sunday.
Blé Goudé, who has been subject to UN sanctions since 2006 for alleged beatings, rapes and extrajudicial killings" by militias he is accused of running.
"We are going to defend the sovereignty of our country until the last drop of our sweat. I urge all Ivorians to make themselves ready for this combat. We are going to totally liberate our country," he told the AFP news agency.
Responding to French President Nicolas Sarkozy's call on Gbagbo to stand down, Blé told a rally, "If Sarkozy plans military intervention, he'd better be ready to kill a lot of Ivorians."
A women's demonstration in Bassam, 40km north of Abidjan, was violently broken up, RFI's French service reports. They were trying to protest at the arrest by uniformed men of a number of Ouattara supporters which followed demonstrations in the town on Friday.
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Leave Cote d Ivoire UN!! Quit meddling in the internal affairs of the country! You are unable to solve the Israeli -Palestinian issue with any integrity. A conflict that was started by you meddling. Solve those problems, before helping to start new ones!
I Lament the beautiful country of Hophet Boigney, the land of Yamossoukuro, the promising, sociable country of Cote D;voire! God please help Africans! Let us learn to accomodate and defer to each other! How can foreigners help you oh Cote D'voire? The absence of a strong leader exposed your peoples to betrayals and divisions! And now, the foreign interests are all that need to be protected! France needs to keep its 700 troops to protect 15,000 of its citizens! Who will protect the millions of Ivoriens? Gbagbo? Ouattarra?
I thank God for the decision of the UN troops to remain in Cote d'Ivoire despite the empty threat of Africa's most shameless politician,Mr. Gbagbo.I would love for the UN troops to teach Gbagbo a lesson that he would love to tell even the dead people but what happens to the innocent armless civilians.However,in the event that Gbagbo careless troops attack the UN troops,let the UN troops not rest until Gbagbo is arrested no matter the consequences.
" ..(UN) .. has rejected Gbagbo's call and warned of "consequences" for anyone who attacks international troops. .."
What "consequences"?
An invitation is extended and the invitation can be withdrawn. The UN was invited into the country on a mission - the duration of the mission is about over. GET LOST, UN.
The UN troops (of trained, psychotic killers) are armed.
1) So, what are they in the country to do - kill Africans without they themselves being killed?
2) Why are they armed - if they are not expecting hostilities?
3) They are protecting a known terrorist and an enemy of the state and people of Ivory coast. Ouattara has killed Ivorians - and that makes the terrorist, his cronies, their supporters and protectors fair game in the new world order.
"The UN force in Côte d'Ivoire (Unoci) are "prepared for anything" after Laurent Gbagbo's order that they should leave by Monday, its spokesperson said Sunday.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has rejected Gbagbo's call and warned of "consequences" for anyone who attacks international troops"
Lets be honest, did we really expect any other decision to be made by the U.N. Its clearly been established that the U.N. is merely a ploy created by the west for the west to establish global law the way they want to establish it. This current move by the U.N. clearly shows the face of the western powers, that they will stop at nothing to maintain a foothold in africa whether overtly(the 900 french troops stationed in CD) or covertly(the U.N.). The U.N. must know that they have been ordered to leave Cote d'ivoire by the legitimate president Laurent Gbagbo. (who under the U.N. mandate has the right to do so) Any other course of action would mean a clear violation of the mandate, the sovereignty of the Ivorian people, and nothing less than a declaration of war.
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