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United Nations says Ivory Coast shelling may be 'war crime'
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March 18, 2011
Original URL: http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/United_Nations_says_Ivory_Coast_shelling_may_be_%27war_crime%27



After 25 people were killed Thursday by shells fired into the city of 
in the Ivory Coast, the United Nations has issued a statement condemning
the incident.

The shelling on Thursday resulted in around a hundred casualties, 25 of
which were deaths. At least six shells were reportedly fired from
military barracks into the district of , a region that supports Alassane
Ouattara, the internationally recognized president of the Ivory Coast
after elections in late 2010.

According to the UN, forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo, who also claims to
have won the election, were responsible for the shelling, though
Gbagbo's supporters deny this.

The UN said that the incident was an act that "perpetrated against
civilians, could constitute a crime against humanity." Secretary General
 said that the UN will "continue to take the necessary steps to protect
the civilian population" in the country.

A spokesperson for Gbagbo, Ahoua Don Mello, however, denied
responsibility for the shelling, claiming that the UN allegations were
part of a "conspiracy" with Ouattara and France, the Ivory Coast's
former colonial ruler, that would result in the removal of Gbagbo from
power.

France also condemned the shelling, saying it was "deliberate massacre
of civilians," and requested that the  impose sanctions against Gbagbo
and his allies.

Unrest since the presidential election is estimated to have killed 410
people and caused 450,000 people to leave their homes. 

== Sources == 

* http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12787015
* http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/03/18/ivory.coast.violence/
* http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12778001



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