IVORY COAST: 5 wounded as citizens confront soldiers in mutiny protest

Five victims have sustained gun wounds during an anti-mutiny protest in Ivory Coast as popular opposition over the three-day nationwide strike embarked by soldiers gathered momentum.

Reports say heavy gunfire erupted in the city centre of Bouake (the second largest commercial city of Ivory Coast) early on Sunday as the soldiers sought to disperse crowds of residents who were attempting to organise a march against the mutiny.

“The population rose up, but the mutineers quickly dispersed the march with shots,” said Bouake resident Simon Guede. “Everything is closed. No one is in the streets except the soldiers and a few protesters.”

Read also: IVORY COAST: Mutinying soldiers block access roads to Bouake

The revolt over a pay dispute which began on Friday in Bouake, quickly spread to other cities including the commercial capital Abidjan where the mutineers took control of the national military headquarters and the defence ministry.

The soldiers are protesting delayed bonus payments promised by the government after a mutiny in January.

The government was to pay each of the 8,400 troops bonuses of about $8,000 as part of a deal to end the mutiny. They were due to receive further payment this month.

But on Thursday, a spokesman for the mutinous soldiers announced that the group had dropped their demand following a meeting with authorities in Abidjan which is now causing the soldiers to rebel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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