In the continuing battle of who is the real president of the Ivory Coast — Alassane Quattar, the man whom the people say overwhelming won, or his opponent and incumbent Laurent Gbagbo, who refuses to step down in the face of most probable defeat — Quattar’s forces seem to be winning. Quattar’s forces have seized control of state television and Gbagbo’s presidential palace making it highly unlikely Gbagbo can keep power much longer.
The Republican Forces now control Gbagbo’s residence in the Cocody neighborhood of Abidjan, the commercial capital, said Meite Sindou, a spokesman for Ouattara’s prime minister,Guillaume Soro. Explosions and gunfire continued to rock the district and plumes of smoke rose into the sky, residents said. Gbagbo’s whereabouts are unclear, a French diplomat said. … “Radio Television Ivorienne fell into our hands last night,” Sindou said in a phone interview today. Television broadcasts were halted at about midnight as heavy artillery fire and explosions shook buildings. [....]
