Despite the "final assault" launched on Wednesday by Cote
d'Ivoire Republican Forces (FRCI, pro-Ouattara) at the residence of the
country's embattled President Laurent Gbagbo, many people are still baffled by
the resistance the latter has put up.
French
soldiers patrol on a street in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, April 7, 2011. Cote
d'Ivoire's internationally recognized President Alassane Ouattara on Thursday
announced the blockade of his presidential rival Laurent Gbagbo's residence in
the West African country's biggest city Abidjan, vowing to restore order and
security. (Xinhua/He Peng)Ouattara's defense spokesman, Leon Alla
Kouakou, had indicated that the operation was meant to dislodge Gbagbo from the
bunker where he had been hiding for some days after the failure to convince him
to surrender.
Two days earlier, the UN forces and the French Licorne
forces had struck at his military camps to destroy the heavy weapons in order to
protect civilians.
The chief of general staff of the Defense and Security
Forces (FDS, pro-Gbagbo), General Philippe Mangou and Gbagbo's foreign minister
Alcide Djedje, had asked for a cease-fire, saying that their arsenals had been
destroyed and they were no longer willing to fight.
However, despite this
weakness and despite the defections of most of his close confidants, Gbagbo has
continued to resist and he remains holed up in the bunker within his
residence.
For some observers, the bunker at Gbagbo's residence is
impregnable since three days later, he has not been dislodged.
HUGE
CAPACITY FOR RESISTANCE
French
soldiers patrol on a street in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, April 7, 2011. Cote
d'Ivoire's internationally recognized President Alassane Ouattara on Thursday
announced the blockade of his presidential rival Laurent Gbagbo's residence in
the West African country's biggest city Abidjan, vowing to restore order and
security. (Xinhua/He Peng)Capturing embattled president has become
a tall order for his rival, demonstrating that he had a great capacity for
resistance.
"The FRCI promised to capture him alive, thinking that it was
going to be easy and they even claimed that they would take control of his home
in a matter of hours," a resident of Yopougon district (pro-Gbagbo) Leon Kore
remarked.
In his opinion, "Gbagbo is very cunning and he must have made
arrangements to resist for a longer period of time."
"Gbagbo is being
protected by an elite squad. These special forces are well equipped and have the
means to put up a resistance for almost three months. A soldier told me when we
had gone to enrol in the army," added Paul Alomo, a member of the "Youth
Patriots" (pro-Gbagbo).
While speaking on Thursday to a local radio
station, the FRCI military spokesman, Seydou Ouattara, claimed that Gbagbo had
ordered for more weapons which were coming through the sea and he was waiting
for the arrival of these weapons to launch another war which he hopes to
win.
Seydou thinks that this is why Gbagbo called for a cease-fire so
that he could get enough time to re-arm his soldiers.
An employee of a
pan-African NGO, Clement Oura, thinks that Gbagbo would not have resisted for
too long if he was not being assisted by mercenaries. KNOWLEDGE OF THE GROUND IN
ABIDJAN
Majority of the pro-Ouattara soldiers come from the northern
parts of the country where they have lived all their lives and seem not to have
known the Abidjan terrain while Gbagbo's forces seem to know the course very
well and this has helped them to properly secure the embattled president's
residence.
"The knowledge of the terrain is fundamental in war. Troops
who know the ground can fight very well whether at night or during day time," a
retired soldier told Xinhua.
A HOUSE WITH ADVANTAGEOUS
CHARACTERISTICS
The characteristics of the embattled president's house
could also have played a role in his favor.
The presidential residence
which was constructed during the time of Cote d'Ivoire's first president Felix
Houphouet Boigny, is a strong building.
The building also has a superior
underground with bunkers which ensure the security of those inside. "Gbagbo is
holed up with his close confidants in the bunker in his residence. The doors to
the bunker are armored," a well placed source had revealed this immediately
after pro-Ouattara forces launched an offensive.
The presidential
residence in Abidjan is seen as a fortress in which Gbagbo has found a solid
refuge.
These various advantages among others, have helped the besieged
president to continue putting up a resistance which is still surprising to many
observers.
The UN estimates that almost 1,000 people have been killed in
Cote d'Ivoire's election violence which broke out in mid-December following
disputed presidential elections.
Source: Xinhua
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