Ivory Coast troops rise up in mutiny
BOUAKE, Ivory Coast: Soldiers demanding more pay and housing rose up in several cities around Ivory Coast yesterday, raiding arms depots and taking control of streets, residents and officials said.
The uprising began in Bouake, the country’s second city and onetime rebel stronghold, where heavy weapons fire was heard in the streets, before spreading to two other major urban centres. In Bouake, soldiers “broke into the armoury of the 3rd Battalion”, arming themselves with rocket-launchers and other weapons mounted on pickup trucks, a military source said.
Troops also took to the streets in the large western town of Daloa and at Korhogo in the north of Ivory Coast, Africa’s leading cocoa-producing nation, according to residents and army sources.
“It’s a mutiny by former (rebel) fighters integrated into the army who are demanding bonuses of five million CFA francs ($8,000 / 7,600 euros) each plus a house,” an officer in Bouake told AFP, asking to remain anonymous. But one of the soldiers said the demands were even higher.
“We’re not asking for five million CFA francs, but rather for 10 million each and a villa,” the soldier said. “If necessary, we will not return to the barracks.” An AFP journalist in Bouake, where ex-rebels have been integrated into military ranks, said troops attacked all seven police posts, manned strategic junctions and put up barricades in the town centre. “There is no more traffic. The firing of Kalashnikovs can be heard near the 3rd Battalion” camp, the journalist added. The troops “have taken up positions at different sections of the city. They can be seen parading around in police vehicles.” A police source said the soldiers arrived at one police station at about 3 am (0300 GMT) and took away their Kalashnikov rifles.