More die in Cote d’Ivoire violence

The post-election violence has resulted in about 200 deaths and thousands have fled the country [AFP]

At least five police officers have been killed in Abidjan in renewed clashes between Ivorian security forces and supporters of Alassane Ouattara, witnesses have said.

Ouattara is recognised by the UN as the winner of a November poll, but incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo has refused to concede that he was defeated in the election.

“Clearly, what’s happening is that supporters of Ouattara are … angry that the political deadlock continues,” Al Jazeera’s Yvonne Ndege, reporting from Abidjan, said on Wednesday.

The West African nation has been in upheaval since a disputed presidential election nearly two months ago. 

Ouattara is internationally-recognised as having won the vote, but incumbent president Gbagbo is refusing to concede.

The latest violence occurred in the Outtara neighbourhood of Abobo. Clashes in the city on Tuesday killed five people, including three security force members.

The UN says more than 200 people have been killed as a result of post-election violence and more than 20,000 have fled to neighbouring Liberia.

“…The hope is that the more violence there is in Abidjan, the more that will spur or speed up what seem to be floundering diplomatic efforts [to resolve the conflict],” our correspondent said.

Raila Odinga, the Kenyan prime minister, and Olusegun Obasanjo, the former Nigerian president, have visited Cote d’Ivoire to help negotiate a settlement, but could only get Gbagbo to agree to let Ouattara have the vice-presidency, which Outtara has rejected.

Odinga plans to revisit the country this weekend in another attempt to solve the situation, Ndege said.