News 24
Abidjan - Ivory Coast plunged back towards all-out conflict on Thursday after rebels in the West African country said that many people had been killed in helicopter gunship raids behind their lines.
"War has resumed," trumpeted state-owned daily Fraternite Matin in big red type.
French troops said they were on their way to investigate the reports of Wednesday's air attacks, which if confirmed would be the worst ceasefire violation since they started policing a truce six weeks ago in the world's top cocoa producer.
A commander of the Patriotic Movement of Ivory Coast (MPCI) rebels said he thought 40 people had been killed in attacks on Wednesday on Vavoua, Pelezi and Diafla, over 450km northwest of the main city of Abidjan.
"There were many dead and injured among the civilians," Sergeant Zacharias Kone said by satellite telephone from Vavoua. "I've got four dead bodies here with me."
There was no independent report of any casualties.
But a military source confirmed that the army's newly acquired Russian-built Mi-24 "Hind" gunships had struck rebel targets in response to earlier assaults on loyalist positions in the northwest.
"They are attacking us all the time. We can't carry on like this. I can confirm there were helicopter attacks," he said.
Benchmark March cocoa futures quickly climbed more than one percent when markets opened in London. Ivory Coast produces 40% of world output of the beans used to make chocolate and markets are extremely sensitive to news of fighting.
A French military spokesperson said soldiers were heading for the area where the attacks were reported and he expected more details by Thursday afternoon.
Rebel commander Kone said his fighters had no order to attack and would not go on the offensive unless they got one.
"Gbagbo has chosen war, but the MPCI is ready," said the rebels' website.
Hundreds of people were killed in four weeks of bloodshed after a failed coup on September 19. The ceasefire left rebels holding the largely Muslim north and President Laurent Gbagbo's forces the south, helping further sharpen ethnic bitterness.
The rebels say they are fighting to end years of discrimination against northerners and want Gbagbo to step aside to allow new elections.
The government insists the rebels disarm, accusing their leaders of being power-hungry army deserters in the pocket of neighbouring countries.
West African countries fear that a return to war in the country of more than 16 million could send chaos spilling across their borders and have been trying to patch together a deal to satisfy both sides.
Despite the trouble in Ivory Coast, mediators in Togo said on Wednesday the foes had made progress on their differences and might soon be in a position to sign an accord.
Opposition leader Alassane Ouattara, who was at the root of years of turbulence long before the latest crisis, flew into exile on Wednesday from his hideout at the French ambassador's residence. He had said security forces tried to kill him.
Courts ruled that the former prime minister could not stand in elections two years ago because of doubts over his nationality. His supporters said that was just a ploy to keep his Muslim north from power.
Although the government never accused Ouattara of supporting the rebels, many of Gbagbo's militants believed he had a hand in a rebellion dominated by his northern kinsmen.