UN envoy visits rebel-held north in Côte d'Ivoire for first time since recent violence

The top United Nations envoy and the commander of UN forces in Côte d'Ivoire today visited Bouaké, the main town in the rebel-held north, for the first time since fresh fighting erupted two week ago when Government forces violated a nearly two-year-old ceasefire agreement.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Representative Albert Tévoédjrè and Gen. Abdoulaye Fall held talks with Guillaume Soro, Secretary-General of the rebel Forces Nouvelles, and visited three sites that came under bombardment last week. Mr. Tévoédjrè reiterated the UN's commitment to help put the peace process back on track.

General Fall said UN military forces, which patrol the Zone of Confidence (ZOC) separating Government and rebel forces had fully played their role in recent days, helping with evacuation as well as observing the violation of the ceasefire. He said they had prevented ground troops from crossing the ZOC, including by firing warning shots in the air.

Meanwhile in Abidjan, the West African country's largest city, the situation continued to gradually return to normal though it still remains tense. Offices, banks and businesses are reopening. Children are slowly returning to school, all of which have opened except for the four French schools.

The UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), set up in April to monitor the ceasefire and help implement peace accords signed in January 2003, said human rights violations by Forces Nouvelles elements were being reported in Bouaké and other parts of the north.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that the number of Ivorians fleeing the fighting to neighbouring Liberia had climbed to 13,000, with more than 1,000 arriving in just one night, most of them women and children.

For its part the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said it had been able to resume some of its operations.