Rogue soldiers kill six in Ivory Coast
Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:51 GMT
Soldiers march during a parade marking the 51st Ivorian independence day in Abidjan August 7, 2011. REUTERS/Luc Gnago
* Volunteers 'lost self-control' before killings
* Killings undermine effort to restore confidence in army
* Government promises zero-tolerance policy
By Ange Aboa
ABIDJAN, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Rogue soldiers in the Ivory Coast have killed six youths in the last two days near a military camp, the army said on Monday, prompting the president to order a clampdown on military indiscipline.
The incidents undercut President Alassane Ouattara's efforts to restore public confidence in the West African state's security forces after a civil war this year that killed thousands of people.
The Ivorian armed forces (FRCI) have been criticised by the United Nations and Ivorians for alleged involvement in abuses including executions, looting and racketeering since the civil war ended in April.
The latest incidents took place in Vavoua, a small town about 450 km (280 miles) from the economic capital Abidjan that hosts an army camp. Residents of the town have long complained about being robbed by FRCI soldiers at roadblocks.
On Saturday, a young man who had attempted to evade an FRCI roadblock was chased by the soldiers and beaten to death, according to local media reports. The killing sparked an attack on the army camp the following day.
"Early on Sunday a group of youths, armed with clubs and rifles, laid siege on the FRCI camp in Vavoua," an army statement said. "Facing the threatening crowd, the FRCI fired in the air to deter them. But when some in the crowd continued to advance, some soldiers lost self-control, mortally wounding five youths in the crowd."
The statement also confirmed Saturday's killing, saying a young man had been beaten to death.
Seven volunteer soldiers have been arrested, Ivorian Defence Minister Paul Koffi Koffi told a news conference on Monday. He said Ouattara issued orders to arrest rogue members of the army.
"The president has instructed us to put in place a military police in order to ensure that this sort of situation does not happen again and so the guilty are quickly dealt with," he said. "It is zero-tolerance and zero-indiscipline," he said.
The FRCI is the new army composed of a mix of soldiers who backed former President Laurent Gbagbo and former rebel fighters who supported Ouattara.
Ouattara won a presidential election in November 2010 but was only able to take power in April after fighters supporting him invaded Abidjan and captured Gbagbo, who had refused to step down.
Some 3,000 people were killed in the conflict and more than 1 million displaced.
The United Nations mission in Ivory Coast urged the Ivorian government to quickly investigate the killings. (Reporting by Ange Aboa; Writing by Bate Felix; Editing by Richard Valdmanis and Alessandra Rizzo)
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