Clashes mar Ivorian cabinet meeting

Clashes mar Ivorian cabinet meeting

Laurent Gbagbo presided over the first cabinet meeting in Abidjan

Government and rebel forces in Ivory Coast have clashed near the government-held western town of Daloa.

The fighting comes hours after ministers from both sides attended the first full meeting of the new power-sharing government in Abidjan.

The rebels hold nine portfolios in the new administration, set up to end the seven-month long civil war in Ivory Coast.

Rebel commander Zacharia Kone told the BBC on Friday that the fresh fighting was taking place in the village of Belleville, near Daloa.

A spokesman for West African troops monitoring a ceasefire confirmed that clashes had broken out there.

Mr Kone said his troops had been attacked by the Ivorian army.

He said government helicopter gunships had also bombarded a marketplace in Vavoua on Wednesday, and that up to 15 people died in the bombing.

Aid workers north of Vavoua said they knew of at least one death and were treating 50 people, including several children, who were wounded.

Compromise

The unity government was set-up following a French-brokered peace agreement signed in January.

But its creation has been hampered by claims of aggression by both sides.

The main rebel movement started the rebellion against the government of President Laurent Gbagbo in September, breaking up the country into a rebel-held north and west and a government-controlled south.

Millions have been displaced and foreigners targeted by government supporters have fled back home to neighbouring countries.

France, the former colonial power, has some 3,000 peacekeepers monitoring a cease-fire, together with hundreds more from African sub-regional body Ecowas.

A peace agreement in France in January had given the sensitive security posts of defence and the interior to the rebels.

But that news was met with sometimes violent and widespread demonstrations by pro-government supporters in Ivory Coast.

The rebels finally agreed to give up those two posts following numerous interventions by Ecowas and the United Nations.