Cote d'Ivoire: Gbagbo Arrested, Now in Ouattara's Custody

VIDEO: Cote d' Ivoire's Gbagbo Captured by Ouattara Forces
11 April 2011
allAfrica.com

Cote d'Ivoire's besieged leader, Laurent Gbagbo, has been detained and is now in the custody of the administration run by the internationally recognized president, Alassane Ouattara, French media reported Monday.

Radio France Internationale said the French ambassador in Abidjan, Jean-Marc Simon, confirmed the arrest and said Gbagbo and his wife had been transferred to the Hotel du Golf, from which Ouattara operates.

The arrest was made after Gbagbo's forces, using an opportunity created by talks last week, regrouped and reportedly launched attacks on United Nations peacekeepers and the hotel on Saturday. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon responded by ordering the peacekeepers to "use all necessary means" to prevent Gbagbo forces from using heavy weapons in Abidjan.

A small unit of French special forces was reported by a witness to have entered the compound where Gbagbo has been entrenched at about 11.35 AM GMT. A Gbagbo spokesman in Europe said at 1.15 PM he had been seized, and Simon confirmed the arrest a few minutes later.

RFI reported that at 2PM GMT, French President Nicolas Sarkozy had spoken at length with Ouattara.

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