Anatomy of an Intervention: Why France Joined the U.N. Action in Abidjan

The United Nations’ dramatic military operation in the Ivory Coast civil war came at a crucial juncture in the struggle between the country’s two Presidents. Over the weekend, forces supporting Allassane Ouattara, the man recognized as president by most of the international community, arrived at Abidjan, the city where both Ouattara and his rival Laurent Gbagbo, the incumbent, were holed out.

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Ivory Coast Unrest: Ouattara, Gbagbo Struggle for Control

Heavy gun battles raged around the last bastions of Ivory Coast strongman Laurent Gbagbo as the United Nations warned both sides to rein in their soldiers; the countdown to Gbagbo’s exit began. The boom of large weapons rang across the city as forces loyal to President-elect Alassane Ouattara targeted the two official presidential residences and the state broadcaster.

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