U.N. puts sanctions on disputed Ivory Coast president

By the CNN Wire
(http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/03/30/ivory.coast.unrest/index.html?eref=edition)

March 30, 2011 -- Updated 2320 GMT (0720 HKT)

(CNN) -- The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously Wednesday to impose sanctions on disputed Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo, his wife and three associates as well as give U.N. peacekeepers more authority to protect civilians.

The Security Council vote occurred Wednesday amid reports of escalating violence in the west African nation.

Forces loyal to Alassane Ouattara, who is widely recognized as the legitimately elected president of the Ivory Coast, seized control of much of Yamoussoukro, the nation's capital, on Wednesday, according to a spokesman.

The spokesman, Seydoun Ouattara, told Radio-France International Wednesday that forces loyal to disputed President Laurent Gbagbo have fled Yamoussoukro and that opposition forces have taken control of many parts of the city.

The fall of Yamoussoukro and other cities to Ouattara forces have raised fears among Gbagbo supporters of an all-out war advancing to Abdijan, the country's largest city and commercial hub.

Alassane Ouattara's forces have already laid claim this week to key cities and towns in the cocoa-producing west, including Soubre, where residents reported seven hours of heavy fighting.

Ouattara is internationally recognized as the legitimate winner of a November election. But Gbagbo, the incumbent Ouattara defeated, has refused to give up power.

The U.N. Security Council resolution restates a demand that Gbagbo step down immediately. It also authorizes U.N. peacekeepers "to use all necessary means to carry out its mandate to protect civilians under imminent threat of violence."

The resolution also imposes targeted sanctions and travel restrictions against Gbagbo, his wife Simone, Desire Tagro, Pascal Affi N'Guessan and Alcide Djedje.

Simone Gbagbo, along with being the nation's disputed first lady, chairs the Parliamentary Group of the Ivorian Popular Front. Tagro, is secretary general in the administration of "the so-called 'presidency' of Mr. Gbagbo," the resolution states. N'Guessan is charman of the Ivorian Popular Front. Djedje is a close advisor of Gbagbo.

The resolution accuses all five of "obstruction to the peace and reconciliation process" and of rejecting the legitimate election of Ouattara. All but Laurent Gbagbo are accused of "public incitement to hatred and violence."

According to France's Foreign Ministry, forces loyal to Gbagbo opened fire Wednesday on a French Embassy escort car in Abidjan. The ministry, which condemned the act, did not report any casualties.

In recent days, the city of Bondoukou in eastern Ivory Coast fell into the hands of Ouattara supporters. Loyalists of Ouattara say pro-Gbagbo "mercenaries and militias" launched an attack against in the city of Bouna. In response, the fighters pushed the pro-Gbagbo forces back into and out of Bondoukou, in the northeast of the country.

Meanwhile the United Nations reported Monday that one of its helicopters was fired on during a reconnaissance flight. They blamed the attack on Ouattara's Republican Forces. It was unclear why their forces would fire at the U.N.

A spokesman for Gbagbo, Ahoua Don Mello, denied that Ouattara's forces were advancing to Abidjan. He described the fighters as fractured and with no political base.

Nearly 1 million residents have fled Abidjan and others are displaced from their homes elsewhere, according to the United Nations.

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