ONE OF Ivory Coast’s most powerful militia leaders was killed yesterday after his forces refused an order from President Alassane Ouattara to disarm.
Ibrahim Coulibaly’s insurgent group fought alongside Mr Ouattara’s men to oust former president Laurent Gbagbo earlier this month, but the pair fell out after Mr Gbagbo’s arrest. The new government accused Mr Coulibaly’s militia of not meeting a deadline to lay down its arms and join the new Ivorian national army.
Known as “IB”, Mr Coulibaly (47) was a senior rebel commander in the 2002-2003 rebellion that split the country and he served as Mr Ouattara’s personal bodyguard before a dispute with the rebel leadership led by Mr Ouattara’s current prime minister, Guillaume Soro.
Mr Coulibaly last week pledged loyalty to Mr Ouattara and said his 5,000 men were ready to join to new army, but the government said he had refused to disarm and was insisting on recognition for his role in ousting Mr Gbagbo.
The defence ministry told Agence France Presse Mr Coulibaly was killed in a shootout in the Abobo district of Abidjan. “The FRCI [Republican Forces of Ivory Coast] fired two warning shots and he responded with heavy fire. The FRCI had no other choice but to respond and the response was fatal for him,” a spokesman said. Two government soldiers and six fighters loyal to Mr Coulibaly were also killed during the raid.
Mr Ouattara’s forces arrested Mr Gbagbo earlier this month after weeks of heavy fighting in the economic capital, Abidjan. Mr Gbagbo had resisted international pressure to step down as president after losing an election last November. He is being held in the north of the country.
In Abidjan yesterday, there were further signs of a return to normality when banks began reopening after a 10-week shutdown that brought the national economy to a standstill.
The new government said this week it was making $395 million (€267,000) available to pay two months of salary arrears to public sector workers, a cash injection officials hope will filter quickly down to local businesses.
The political turmoil had triggered Western financial and trade sanctions and prompted international banks to close local branches despite threats by Mr Gbagbo to nationalise them.
Meanwhile, Mr Ouattara told French newspaper La Croix that close to 3,000 people were killed in the conflict – nearly double previous official tolls.