The French defence minister warned on Friday of ”worrying signs” in Côte d’Ivoire, saying rebel militias there are rebuilding and re-arming in violation of ceasefire accords.
Michele Alliot-Marie, speaking on French radio, expressed concern that some Ivorians ”dream only of one thing: to take up arms again”.
Nearly 10 000 French and United Nations troops patrol front lines in the West African country, separating northern-based rebels and government-allied fighters.
Repeated attempts to take arms from fighters and knit the country back together have failed. Both sides have blamed each other for failing to disarm as called for under an April peace deal.
”We have worrying signs here and there — notably because disarmament has not taken place,” Alliot-Marie told France-Inter radio. ”There are militias, some of which have regrouped.”
She said France could extend deployment of its forces beyond their current mandate — which ends in January — if the international community decides to prolong the UN mission there.
”The presence of UN peacekeepers and the French support presence are indispensable,” Alliot-Marie said. ”If not, there would be … new fighting and new massacres.” — Sapa-AP