诛仙3 79天劫:Despite attacks, Gbagbo's residence remains impregnable - People's Daily Online
Despite attacks, Gbagbo's residence remains impregnable
11:20, April 09, 2011
Email | Print | Subscribe | Comments | Forum
Increases the bookmarkFrench soldiers patrol on a street in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, April 7, 2011. Cote d'Ivoire's internationally recognized President Alassane Ouattara on Thursday announced the blockade of his presidential rival Laurent Gbagbo's residence in the West African country's biggest city Abidjan, vowing to restore order and security. (Xinhua/He Peng)
Ouattara's defense spokesman, Leon Alla Kouakou, had indicated that the operation was meant to dislodge Gbagbo from the bunker where he had been hiding for some days after the failure to convince him to surrender.
Two days earlier, the UN forces and the French Licorne forces had struck at his military camps to destroy the heavy weapons in order to protect civilians.
The chief of general staff of the Defense and Security Forces (FDS, pro-Gbagbo), General Philippe Mangou and Gbagbo's foreign minister Alcide Djedje, had asked for a cease-fire, saying that their arsenals had been destroyed and they were no longer willing to fight.
However, despite this weakness and despite the defections of most of his close confidants, Gbagbo has continued to resist and he remains holed up in the bunker within his residence.
For some observers, the bunker at Gbagbo's residence is impregnable since three days later, he has not been dislodged.
HUGE CAPACITY FOR RESISTANCE
French soldiers patrol on a street in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, April 7, 2011. Cote d'Ivoire's internationally recognized President Alassane Ouattara on Thursday announced the blockade of his presidential rival Laurent Gbagbo's residence in the West African country's biggest city Abidjan, vowing to restore order and security. (Xinhua/He Peng)
Capturing embattled president has become a tall order for his rival, demonstrating that he had a great capacity for resistance.
"The FRCI promised to capture him alive, thinking that it was going to be easy and they even claimed that they would take control of his home in a matter of hours," a resident of Yopougon district (pro-Gbagbo) Leon Kore remarked.
In his opinion, "Gbagbo is very cunning and he must have made arrangements to resist for a longer period of time."
"Gbagbo is being protected by an elite squad. These special forces are well equipped and have the means to put up a resistance for almost three months. A soldier told me when we had gone to enrol in the army," added Paul Alomo, a member of the "Youth Patriots" (pro-Gbagbo).
While speaking on Thursday to a local radio station, the FRCI military spokesman, Seydou Ouattara, claimed that Gbagbo had ordered for more weapons which were coming through the sea and he was waiting for the arrival of these weapons to launch another war which he hopes to win.
Seydou thinks that this is why Gbagbo called for a cease-fire so that he could get enough time to re-arm his soldiers.
An employee of a pan-African NGO, Clement Oura, thinks that Gbagbo would not have resisted for too long if he was not being assisted by mercenaries. KNOWLEDGE OF THE GROUND IN ABIDJAN
Majority of the pro-Ouattara soldiers come from the northern parts of the country where they have lived all their lives and seem not to have known the Abidjan terrain while Gbagbo's forces seem to know the course very well and this has helped them to properly secure the embattled president's residence.
"The knowledge of the terrain is fundamental in war. Troops who know the ground can fight very well whether at night or during day time," a retired soldier told Xinhua.
A HOUSE WITH ADVANTAGEOUS CHARACTERISTICS
The characteristics of the embattled president's house could also have played a role in his favor.
The presidential residence which was constructed during the time of Cote d'Ivoire's first president Felix Houphouet Boigny, is a strong building.
The building also has a superior underground with bunkers which ensure the security of those inside. "Gbagbo is holed up with his close confidants in the bunker in his residence. The doors to the bunker are armored," a well placed source had revealed this immediately after pro-Ouattara forces launched an offensive.
The presidential residence in Abidjan is seen as a fortress in which Gbagbo has found a solid refuge.
These various advantages among others, have helped the besieged president to continue putting up a resistance which is still surprising to many observers.
The UN estimates that almost 1,000 people have been killed in Cote d'Ivoire's election violence which broke out in mid-December following disputed presidential elections.
Source: Xinhua
Reading
UN chief urges Gbagbo to step down
Exile no longer an option for Gbagbo: Cote d'Ivoire's UN envoy
Cornered and isolated, how far can Gbagbo go
Heavy weapons heard near Gbagbo residence: report
Pro-Ouattara forces want to "capture Gbagbo alive"
Pro-Ouattara forces launch assault on Gbagbo's residence
Cote d'Ivoire's Gbagbo refuses to sign surrender documents
Pro-Ouattara forces in Cote d'Ivoire storm into Gbagbo's residence
Heavy weapons heard near Gbagbo's residence: reports
Interview: Moment of clarity, moment for Gbagbo to accept defeat, says U.S. expert
Survey for 2011 NPC and CPPCC Sessions Focus On China
Number of pure electric vehicles in Beijing to reach 100,000 by 2015
ZTE to fight Ericsson's patent infringement lawsuit
Donghai County becomes county-level sustainable development experimental zone
CASS: China to become world's biggest economy in 2020
China takes steps to combat imported inflation
Construction of Shanghai Disneyland underway
Inspur unveils China's first cloud data center product
High oil prices do not spell oil crisis
Asia-Pacific IPv4 addresses exhausted, IPv6 urgent
Exquisite intangible heritage from Western China
Music sounds beyond border
Music sounds beyond border
Libya rebels: NATO is ‘cheaters’
Is China overtaking America?
China, Pak reject reports of presence of Chinese troops in PoK
China benefits as U.S. makes mistake
Outgoing envoy to China speaks like President of America
After Fukushima disaster, IAEA has to change