Tensions in Ivory Coast after the announcement of eligible presidential candidates
A police patrol in Béoumi, May 18, 2019 (illustration).
SIA KAMBOO / AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
In Côte d'Ivoire, two days after the final announcement of the list of eligible candidates for the October presidential election, unrest rocked several towns in the south-east of the country.
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About thirty kilometers from Abidjan, small groups of demonstrators tried to organize peaceful marches to protest against a potential third term of Alassane Ouattara whose
candidacy was validated by the Constitutional Council
.
From 4 am this Wednesday morning, the road connecting Abidjan to Abengourou was blocked by militants with tree trunks, making traffic impossible.
According to testimonies from residents on the spot, the city was crisscrossed by security forces all day "
to avoid clashes and looting
" between pro and outgoing anti-president.
Similar marches or attempted marches took place in other towns in the region.
People are reporting disturbances in Ebilassokro, Dabou and Yabassé-Atrobou, without RFI having been able to verify the primary source information at this stage.
In Akoupé, witnesses also confirmed the occurrence of marches and transmitted photos and videos of people injured following clashes with the gendarmerie.
According to an observer from civil society on the spot, there were a few minor injuries, one seriously injured and at least three arrests, following “
tear gas, gunshots and beatings by the gendarmerie
”.
In Bangolo, tension has also been mounting for several days when the opposition denounces arbitrary arrests.
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Ivory Coast