ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast — Ivory Coast’s new army turned its guns on a former ally who helped liberate Abidjan and install the democratically elected president, military sources said of a major setback as the country was beginning to return to normal.
Residents said heavy machine-gun fire rocked the working-class suburb of Abobo on Wednesday around renegade warlord Ibrahim “IB” Coulibaly’s headquarters. Coulibaly orchestrated two failed coup attempts in 1999 and 2002 before starting a rebellion.
Four military sources from both sides confirmed that the new army of former rebels led by Prime Minister and Defense Minister Guillaume Soro attacked Coulibaly’s headquarters but were met with fierce fighting that lasted more than an hour.
Denver Post wire services
