Profile: Rating of ivory's captured ex-leader Laurent Gbagbo - Xinhua

(NAIROBI, April 11, Xinhua)-, Laurent Gbagbo of Cote d'Ivoire was captured Monday in a military aggression conducted by the French at his residence in Abidjan, putting an end to the political impasse over long months in the West African country. Here is a profile of Gbagbo.

Gbagbo was born on 31 May 1945 in the village of Mama at Gagnoa - in the Centre West of C?te d'Ivoire. He obtained a PhD at the Paris Diderot University in 1979.

He joined the strike of teachers in 1982 and the same year, exiled in France.

Gbagbo returned to C?te d'Ivoire in 1988 and later was elected General Secretary of the new party political coast of ivory Popular Front (FPI).

In 1990, Gbagbo participated in the first presidential election since the introduction of a multi-party system, but did not win the seat. He was elected to the National Assembly in the same year and served as member of Parliament until 1996, when he was elected Chairman of FPI.

In the 2000 presidential election, Gbagbo replaced then leader Robert GUEI. In October of this year, he was sworn as President of C?te d'Ivoire.

In 2002, an attempt of a coup against the Gbagbo Government in breach has resulted in the split of the country in the North controlled by the rebels and Government-held South and it triggered civil war in 2002-2003.

In 2008, Gbagbo was designated as the flagship of the FPI in the presidential election scheduled for November this year, but the poll has been postponed to 2010.

The landmark election, the other since the civil war, took place in 2010 with Gbagbo and his rival, opposition leader and former Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara in the second round of voting.

After the runoff held 28 November 2010, Ouattara was declared winner by the electoral body, but the result was quashed by the Constitutional Council of the country, which is rather to win Gbagbo.

Although the international community, including the Organization of the United Nations, the African Union, the economic community of the States of Africa in the West and the European Union have all recognized Ouattara as elected President of the country, Gbagbo challenged pressure and refused to resign.

Both Gbagbo and Ouattara themselves sworn in as President and established their respective Government, led by a Prime Minister.

The political stalemate developed in fighting between supporters and the choirs of other forces while hundreds of people have lost their lives in the violence.

in April 2011, the les forces forces the Ouattara, supported by the missions of the UN and French troops in Ivory Coast, seized most of the country including the capital, Yamoussoukro and the main city of Abidjan. April 11, Gbagbo was captured in a military assault after days of heavy fighting in Abidjan.

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Nations United renews attacks on weapons of Gbagbo

The United Nations and French helicopters Sunday fired rockets on the home of Ivory Coast Laurent Gbagbo strongman in commercial capital, Abidjan, residents and the United Nations said.

Prisoners of a militia loyal to Laurent Gbagbo are held in a garage in the northern suburb of Abidjan. Emmanuel Braun/Reuters.

"I'm concluding what Mr. Gbagbo has lost contact with reality,", said the head of mission of peacekeeping one, Choi Young-jin, Sunday.

A United Nations spokesman said the operation was launched a day after forces loyal to President outgoing fired rockets and mortar on the hotel of Golf rounds, wounding a peacekeeper. It is believed that the weapons that were used are collected at Gbagbo's residence, spokesman for United Nations Hamadoun Toure said.

Alassane Ouattara, President of the country, internationally recognized uses the hotel as headquarters since November contested elections.

Residence of French Ambassador were firing Friday, according to Frederic Daguillon, Commander of French forces in C?te d'Ivoire.

"We continue our operation to neutralize the heavy weapons of Gbagbo," Toure told Reuters.

Two residents of the neighbouring districts have reported seeing two Mi-24 attack helicopters and a French helicopter open fire on the residence. A resident said he saw the smoke of the compound, where Gbagbo is hidden in a bunker.

After a dozen years in power, he still refuses to resign even if the United Nations ruled that he lost the presidential election to Ouattara.

After four months of diplomacy, Ouattara gave the green light for military intervention conducted by a group of former rebels fighters.

They have swept across the country, advancing hundreds of kilometres and take dozens of cities in a few days to be accepted at the door of Abidjan, C?te d'Ivoire of the largest and most strategically important city.

Forces of Gbagbo out of the presidential compound Saturday and advanced position at the heart of downtown and the hotel of the golf course.

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UN, French fire on Côte d'Ivoire Gbagbo bunker - Indian Express

Helicopters of the United Nations, the French fired rockets on the residence of C?te d'Ivoire strongman Laurent Gbagbo, hidden in a bunker, residents said Sunday.

Two residents of the neighbouring districts have reported seeing two Mi-24 attack helicopters and a French helicopter open fire on the residence. A resident said he saw the smoke of the compound. The couldn?t residents be named for fear of reprisals.

Gbagbo?s Advisor France Toussaint Alain confirmed the attack. Gbagbo lives in a bunker in his residence in Abidjan since nearly a week. After a dozen years in power, he still refuses to resign even if the United Nations has decided that he lost the presidential election of November Alassane Ouattara.

Gbagbo?s forces out of the presidential compound and advanced in the position of Golf Hotel. The United Nations said the hotel of the golf course in Abidjan where rests Ouattara came under attack late Saturday and a peacekeeper was seriously wounded in shooting.

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Ouattara maintains Gbagbo besieged after the rocket in Abidjan

April 09, 2011, 10: 11 am EDT by Jason McLure, Olivier Monnier and Pauline Bax

April 9 (Bloomberg) - the forces of the elected President of C?te d'Ivoire, Alassane Ouattara guarded residence of Laurent Gbagbo in Abidjan under siege after troops loyal to former leader fired at the Embassy of France.

Gbagbo forces launched two mortars and a rocket at the residence of the Ambassador of France in Abidjan yesterday, according to a statement by email of the Embassy. The BBC World Service French combat helicopters responded by attacking the Gbagbo forces, reported today.Gbagbo, who challenges the Ouattara internationally recognized victory in the presidential election on 28 November, remains in a bunker with his family and his senior aides. Many of his troops withdrew or defected as rebels now known as the Republican Forces swept first down in the North of Ivory Coast, producer of cocoa in the world, in Abidjan, the commercial capital.Separately, Human Rights Watch said forces loyal to killed Ouattara of hundreds of civilians, burned at least 10 villages and summarily raped women of an ethnic group seems to be loyal to Gbagbo. "Fighters often target people by ethnic origin, and the attacks affected disproportionately too old or weak to flee, said a report by e-mail late yesterday by the New York-based group. "Dozens of women were also held for a day or more and repeatedly raped."The killings occurred during a March by the Republican Forces offensive, in the West of the country the said group.SoldiersAbidjan appeal was quiet this morning at the electricity supply in some parts of the city of port. Administration of the Ouattara attempted to mobilize the army soldiers formerly loyal to Gbagbo, who was President from 2000 until last year. "In the"framework for the mobilization for the resumption of the service, the Prime Minister and Minister of defence"require officers, junior officers and the commanders of the army, marine, air force and Gendarmerie Nationale to register on the open lists, "said a statement by the administration of the Ouattara received e-mail today."Broadcasting television Ivoirienne of Gbagbo, whose offices are captured by the Republican Forces earlier this month, returned to the air yesterday, telling viewers to "the regime of Laurent Gbagbo is still in place" and calling for a "strong mobilisation" against Ouattara. It was not clear if emissions in the offices of former television State or in another location.AbandonedMore Homes that 1 million people have fled their homes during the four-month crisis, according to the United Nations. French exports and the United Nations peacekeeping forces in strikes of helicopter Abidjan against the forces of Gbagbo April 4. The European Union yesterday lifted restrictions on cocoa in Abidjan and San Pedro port, which is also under the control of the Ouattara. Cocoa in London fell by 25 pounds, or 1.3%, to 1,889 pounds ($3,095) per tonne at the end of yesterday.Human Rights Watch report said that before February, abuse against civilians were committed mainly by forces loyal to Gbagbo. This changed after the forces nominally under the control of Prime Minister Guillaume Soro of the Ouattara launched an offensive in late February. The atrocities led to a massacre on March 29, hundreds of civilians in the town of Duékoué West near the Liberian border, is home to a large number of people from the Guéré ethnic group, most which supported Gbagbo, said the report.Based in the Hague of the International Criminal Court began a review of allegations of crimes in C?te d'Ivoire and administration of the Ouattara has agreed to submit to its jurisdiction.

With the help of Drew Hinshaw in Dakar. Editors: Mike Harrison, Paul Sillitoe

To contact the reporters on this story: Jason McLure in Accra to the jmclure@bloomberg.net or Olivier Monnier and Pauline Bax in Abidjan via the ebowers@bloomberg.net Accra

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin to the asguazzin@bloomberg.net

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Gbagbo Minister says in talks on Ivory Coast cease-fire - Reuters

DAKAR. Tue, April 5, 2011 8: 00 am EDT

"I am at the residence of the Ambassador of France to negotiate a ceasefire, Alcide Djédjé said in an interview broadcast on Radio France International.

Asked if Gbagbo negotiated his departure, he said: "it is another step that I am not responsible for." We have to wait for the next few hours on it. I had a mandate to negotiate this step (a ceasefire). Now we wait. ?

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