/ 18 September 2000

IVORY COAST’S GUEI ESCAPES ASSASSINATION

ARMED assailants managed to get into the home of Ivory Coast’s military ruler, General Robert Guei, in the early hours of Monday, but Guei was still alive, a senior military source said. The attackers had forced the driver of an armoured car stationed near the residence to drive into the gates to break them down and they went inside. It was not clear if Guei was inside the house at the time of the attack. Witnesses reported firing from the vicinity of Guei’s house, just outside the central Plateau business and administrative area of Abidjan. Chief of Defence Staff Diabakate Soumahila said his forces were counter-attacking the assailants. – Reuters