Cote d’ Ivoire crisis not yet over – UN chief

 United Nations – UN peacekeeping chief, Alain Le Roy, on Monday warned that the crisis in Cote d’ Ivoire was not yet over inspite of  the capture of former President Laurent Gbagbo by forces loyal to President-elect, Alassane Ouattara.

Speaking to reporters in New York, Monday after briefing the Security Council on the situation in the country, Le Roy said there were still pockets of resistance in Abidjan by forces loyal to the former president.

He said the main task in the West African country was to restore law and order in Abidjan and the rest of the country and to begin the reconciliation process.

Le Roy warned that the country had a huge humanitarian crisis to contend with, with more than one million having fled Abidjan since the crisis began last November.

The UN official insisted that Gbagbo was captured by the forces of   Ouattara, contrary to earlier media reports crediting French forces in the country’s political capital with the capture.

“Mr Gbagbo surrendered to President Ouattara’s forces. It was the forces of President Ouattara who came inside the residence.

“Not UNOCI at all, and not (the French) Licorne (force) .

“ It was President Ouattara’s forces who entered the residence and Mr Gbagbo surrendered to them,” said  Le Roy.

 “We ( UN force and French troops) targeted the heavy weapons, but it was the forces of Mr Ouattara who entered the residence,” he said.

UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, Sunday  had instructed the UN Force in the country (UNOCI) supported by French troops, to undertake a military operation to prevent the use of heavy weapons against civilians in Abidjan.

Gbagbo was captured in the wake of that operation.

Le Roy said Gbagbo, his wife, Simone,  at his request are  under  UN protection.

They are under “custody” of  Ouattara’s forces in an apartment at the Golf Hotel, the former refuge place of Ouattara’s government after his election victory in late November.

He said it was up to Ouattara’s government to decide what they wanted to do with Gbagbo in accordance with the country’s laws.

The peacekeeping chief also told reporters that the head of Gbagbo’s forces, Gen.  Bruno Dogbo Ble, had called the UN to inform them that he wanted  to surrender and hand-in his forces and weapons.