Akhir 30, April 4, 2011, SPA-- The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Ivory Coast evacuated hundreds of civilian staff from its headquarters in the economic capital Abidjan as rebel forces Monday prepared for an assault on forces loyal to President Laurent Gbagbo, dpa reported. Would-be president Alassane Outtara's forces last week looked like quickly seizing control of Abidjan after a surprise lightning assault through the country. Instead, they have encountered stiff resistance from remaining pockets of Gbagbo loyalists, who are fighting hard to defend their leader despite widespread desertion. Gbagbo's forces are defending the presidential palace, state-controlled television RTI and other key locations, while many Abidjan residents have barricaded themselves at home amidst artillery barrages and exchanges of gunfire over the weekend. There has been a break in fighting, but Ouattara's prime minister, Guillaume Soro, speaking on a pro-Ouattara TV station Monday, said the rebels had achieved their first goal of laying siege to Abidjan and now considered the time "ripe for a rapid assault" on the city. The UN peacekeeping mission, known as UNOCI, said Gbagbo's special forces had continuously fired on the headquarters, and even fired tanks shells that landed in a nearby civilian neighbourhood. Peacekeepers returned fire at snipers and other forces, UNOCI said. -- SPA
