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ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast - Saudi Arabia's ambassador to this west African nation was found dead in the staircase of his apartment building Friday, police officials and employees at the building said. The building's caretaker discovered the Saudi envoy, Al Mohammed Ahmed Ben Rasheed, lying in the staircase early Friday — unclothed and with a head wound — building employees said. Blood could be seen in the man's flat, they said. "We do not have any leads, but we are currently questioning important people close to him," a senior Ivory Coast police official said on condition of anonymity, without providing details...

A fragile truce is under threat Rebel fighters have launched attacks against government positions in western Ivory Coast, the Ivorian army has said. If confirmed, it would mark the first fighting since a ceasefire was signed between the government and rebels on 24 January. An army spokesman said rebel forces had fired on troops on Monday and were moving towards government-held territory. French soldiers monitoring the peace deal have not reported any breaking of the truce. 'Line crossed' Ivorian army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jules Yao Yao said government positions had been attacked 45 kilometres( (30 miles) west of Daloa, a...

Cote d’Ivoire - Travel Warning September 26, 2002 This Travel Warning replaces the Travel Warning for Cote d'Ivoire dated September 24, 2002, to reflect continued fighting between rebel elements and Ivoirian government forces and the Department's authorization of the departure of family members of Embassy staff and non-emergency Embassy personnel. The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to defer travel to Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) at this time, and recommends that Americans in the country depart. On September 26, 2002, the Department authorized the departure of family members of Embassy staff and non-emergency Embassy personnel. Fighting has occurred between...

Foreign schoolboys of Bouaké evacuated, on the way towards Yamoussoukro Wednesday September 25, 2002 - 17h36 GMT COMMUNE OF BOUAKE (Côte.d'ivoire), 25 seven (AFP) - the children of the international school of Bouaké, blocked since nearly one week by engagements between soldiers mutineers and governmental, were evacuated by the French troops Wednesday afternoon in direction of Yamoussoukro, the capital of the Ivory Coast, noted a journalist of the AFP. "We are in safety now, we are free and happy of living", declared with the AFP a girl of the Colorado, which belonged to the convoy of schoolboys and their...

Shootings of rebels against a school: no the casualty Wednesday September 25, 2002 - 8h28 GMT YAMOUSSOUKRO, 25 seven (AFP) - soldiers of the Ivory Coast mutinés drew Tuesday on a boarding school in which 170 children, as a majority from abroad, are blocked in Bouaké, country centers, declared Wednesday a person in charge for the safety of the establishment. According to Mr. Michel Cousineau, no casualty is to be deplored after the shootings wiped by Acadamédie international Christian woman, whose pupils, for the majority of American nationality, were surprised Thursday by military rising in Côte.d'ivoire. The night of...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- A small contingent of U.S. troops have deployed to Cote d'Ivoire on the west coast of Africa to be ready for a possible non-combatant evacuation, the Pentagon announced Tuesday. "At the request of the American ambassador to Cote d'Ivoire, U.S. European Command is moving forces there to insure safety of American citizens in the wake of civil unrest," U.S. European Command said. "The United States is committed to insuring the safety of its citizens and U.S. forces in the European Command region remain ready for any and all contingencies." The West African nation has...

Departure of the French reinforcements for Yamoussoukro Sunday September 22, 2002 - 22h08 GMT ABIDJAN, 22 seven (AFP) - the French military reinforcements arrived Sunday at dawn in Abidjan left Sunday evening for Yamoussoukro, to 350 km in the north of Abidjan, one learned from military source. More than one hundred of French soldiers, equipped with helicopters of transport, were able Sunday after 03h00 GMT (and local) to little ensure the protection of the French nationals, in particular those which have been in the towns of Bouaké (center) held for last Thursday by rebellious soldiers. Several tens of vehicles...