The New Dawn Liberia | Truly Independent

Dissident Ivorian forces are reported to have attacked the town of Douplay, 15 kilometers west of Abidjan. Intelligence sources informed the New Dawn-Liberia that during the attack which took place last Thursday, August 17, the dissidents also stormed a prison in the town and released one-hundred and nineteen prisoners believed to be loyal to former President Laurent Gbagbo.

The dissidents, also believed to be supporters of former President Gbagbo, reportedly attacked Douplay during the early morning hours of last Thursday, from the forest in Western Cote d’Ivoire. Our sources did not disclose the number of casualties, but indicated that scores of people were killed.

They said, dissidents whose leadership (Blade Goude’) is reportedly based in Ghana, may be launching the sporadic attacks on thr Ivorian Government forces to force it into negotiation. The rebels are also quoted as saying that one of their objectives is to locate and release the wife of former President Gbagbo who is currently being held in detention by the government somewhere in the north-central region of the country.

The  armed Gbagbo loyalists still believe that incumbent President Alhassane Wattara is not an Ivorian, but Bourkinabe’ and that the New Forces in the north of the country were mostly Bourkinabe’.

In another development, a three-man Liberian Legislative delegation last week failed to meet the Speaker of the Ivorian Parliament, Giyan Soro. Their meeting was not possible due to Speaker Soro’s engagements with urgent ongoing national security matters.

The delegation headed by the Chairman of the Committee of the House of Representatives, Henry B. Fahnbulleh, however, reportedly met with the Ivorian Interior and Defense Ministers, as well as the Chairman of the Ivorian Parliament on National Defense and National Police Chief.

During their meetings, the Liberian Legislative delegation reportedly expressed the sentiments of the Liberian Government, assuring the Ivorian Government of its continuous support and cooperation in dealing the situation in the west of the country.

It also challenged the Government of Cote d’Ivoire to initiate the process of national reconciliation, as well as ensure the practice of the tenants of democracy, including free speech and Press freedom as a way of the Cote d’Ivoire forward.

The Ivorian Government, through its national security officials, expressed gratitude to the Liberian delegation for its cooperation and positive role in constructively engaging the incursion in the west of their country, promising to maintain constant links with Liberia in dealing with the situation.

The Ivorian Government commended its Liberian counterpart for the arrest of six dissident troops attempting the cross over to Liberia after being dislodged by Ivorian Government forces from a few towns near the border.

The Legislative delegation, which also included the House’s Committee Chairmen on National Defense and Security, Representatives George Sylvester Mulbah and Alfred Koiwoo, will shortly return to Abidjan for another round of talks with Speaker Soro, who is also leader of the New Forces. The delegation also extended an invitation to their Ivorian counterparts for reciprocal visit.