French troops captured Ivory Coast strongman Laurent Gbagbo today and handed him over to the rebels.
April 10: A soldier allied with Alassane Ouattara knocks down a monument believed to mystically provide strength and support to Laurent Gbagbo, in the Youpougon neighborhood of Abidjan, Ivory Coast. (AP)
The former president was detained today by French troops.
FOX News reported:
Ivory Coast strongman Laurent Gbagbo was detained by French special forces Monday at his presidential compound in the country’s biggest city Abidjan, state-run radio France Info reports.
“Gbagbo has been arrested by French special forces in his residence and has been handed over to the rebel leaders,” Gbagbo spokesman Toussaint Alain told Reuters.
His capture came after French and UN armored vehicles were deployed on a road close to Gbagbo’s besieged Abidjan residence on Monday.
Gbagbo was elected in 2000 and postponed polls due in 2005 several times before allowing them to go ahead last year, only to reject the result which went in favor of challenger Alassane Ouattara, the internationally-accepted winner.
