Highlights
- Impartial Forces to attend release of prisoners in Bouaké
- UNOCI and UNMIL carry out week-long joint patrols along Cavally River
Military
UNOCI's Deputy Force Commander and his counterpart from the Force Licorne are expected to attend a ceremony in Bouaké tomorrow that will mark the release of prisoners from the Governmental side who are being held by the FN. Ivorian Prime Minister Guillaume Kigbafori Soro, Defence Minister Michel Amani N'Guessan, the two Chiefs of General Staff - Generals Philippe Mangou and Soumaila Bakayoko - will also attend the event.
Joint patrols were conducted by UNMIL and SENBATT along the Cavally River from 18 to 22 June 2007. A joint debriefing was conducted at Prollo on 24 June.
A joint long-range patrol comprising Military Observers from Odienné team site and UNPOL went to the Gbeleban-Ougousso - Bako axis, outside the former zone of confidence and near the Guinean border, on 22 June 2007 to monitor the security situation and gather information on arms dissemination/smuggling in the border areas. The patrol found out that there was no Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) presence in the villages visited, and that security was being handled by Dozos (traditional hunters), who are allied to Forces Nouvelles.
Security
On 17 June 2007, two alleged FAFN soldiers attempted to enter the West African Central Bank, BCEAO, in Korhogo. One died and the other was seriously injured when security guards shot at them. The surviving suspect was taken to Korhogo prison.
According to reports received by UNOCI, four vehicles were attacked on the road between Ferkessedougou and Ouangolodougou by four men armed with Kalashnikovs. One person was slightly injured. A merchant from Korhogo also reported being attacked along the same road. UNOCI will continue to carry-out an increased number of patrols on this road.
The semi-Mixed Brigade at N'Gatta Dolikro recently intercepted a man riding a bicycle and found 1,973 rounds of ammunition inside a box on the bicycle after the man ran away. They confiscated the ammunition and are investigating its origin.
DDR
Four members of UNOCI's DDR team arrived in Bouaké this morning to begin a two-week practical training with the head of DDR in Sector East. The four will visit DDR sites in Bouaké, and meet with military authorities from the FAFN and FDS-CI as well as the Mission's military personnel responsible for implementing the DDR programme.