(Wall Street Journal) — Forces loyal to incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo of Ivory Coast were trying to “starve” U.N. peacekeepers into “submission” by blocking their supplies at border crossings, as the West African nation slid into a “real risk of a return to civil war,” U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday. In an address to the U.N. General Assembly, Mr. Ban said the lack of supplies “will put our peacekeepers in a critical situation in coming days.” On Monday, the Security Council defied Mr. Gbagbo’s order to expel all 9,000 U.N. troops by extending their deployment a further six months. Mr. Ban called on the international community to ensure the U.N. troops are supplied. “Any attempt to starve the United Nations mission into submission will not be tolerated,” he said.
Comment Disclaimer: Comments that contain profane or derogatory language, video links or exceed 200 words will require approval by a moderator before appearing in the comment section. XOXO-MN
