Mutiny - Cote d'Ivoire/Ivory Coast
 

You may have seen in the news that the Mutiny from January has started up again!

It has become more serious than last time in January & spreading across the country, they are firing into the air NOT at people. A few points for anyone about to head there:

1. The border at Pogo has been closed by mutineers for two days apparently (crossing in or out to Mali)
2. Bouake is closed, 20 injured, 5 of them hit by stray bullets. No traffic going in or out which effectively shuts the north from the south
3. Ouangolodougou, Kohorgo, Odienne, Bouake, Bondoukou, Abengourou, Daloa, Man and Abidjan have all seen sporadic shooting into the air.
4. You should be safe, talk to locals about what is going on and don't go near any military camps. Some towns are closed, roads going in and out are blocked, this happened for 2 hours in Abengourou early this morning & has been ongoing in Bouake for two days. Apparently Man, Kohorgo and Ouangolodougou are blocked too
5. President Ouattara gave a speech on Friday, the mutineers got their 5million CFA and are owed another 7millionCFA from 1st May in 1mCFA monthly payments, however the country is in trouble as the falling cocoa price isn't helping matters. There needs to be a solution to this and I firmly believe something will happen early this week, in which case the mutineers will return to barracks and this whole drama will be over.
6. REGISTER at your embassy if you're already in the country.

If you need any help, PM me, I have friends across the country who are updating me on a very regular basis!

Thanks very much for the update, CREER.

Today has been hellish, shooting in the air all night in Bouake, the shooting in Abidjan started around 5am then it spread across the country, including Daloa, Bondoukou, Korhogo, Man, Guiglo and at lunchtime San Pedro joined in!

There were/are 500 heavy goods trucks stuck either side of Bouake, the road from north to south has been cut off. The same can be said of most of the cities mentioned above as the mutineers are manning the 'corridors' in and out of towns.

Sadly one of those that was hit by a stray bullet on Saturday died last night in hospital in Bouake from his injuries. I've seen many photos of bullets in people's ceilings ... they're firing in the air but totally recklessly.

Still waiting for ADO the President to find a resolution.

Keep your head down if you're there, if you need urgent help, PM me ... I have a lot of contacts who will be able to assist.

So it kicked off again yesterday but these were the already demobilized ex-Forces Nouvelles ... asking for 27m CFA, 9m CFA more than those that have entered the army.

Bouake was closed from yesterday lunchtime until lunchtime today, the police went in with tear gas this morning ... unfortunately 3 police were killed, 3 seriously wounded

Kohorgo was shut down too, but all seems quiet today

A small area of Abidjan was also affected yesterday, all fine today

Hopefully it's all over again and this mob will be brought to justice!