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UN peacekeepers help put out fire at radio station in Côte d'Ivoire

UN peacekeepers help put out fire at radio station in Côte d'Ivoire

UNOCI peacekeepers on patrol
The Moroccan battalion serving in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Côte d'Ivoire over the weekend helped put out a huge fire in a radio station near the western town of Duékoué, the mission said today.

According to Colonel Mahfoud Zeidane, the commander of the 14th Moroccan battalion deployed in the West African country under the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), two tank trucks carrying 12,000 gallons of water, an ambulance and 70 soldiers were sent to contain the fire and carry out rescue work in La Voix du Guemon radio station on Saturday.

Much of the building housing the radio station was destroyed in the fire, which also damaged offices, studios and equipment.

The radio had since 3 August benefited from a UNOCI rehabilitation programme after its equipment was looted during the post-election violence that engulfed the country earlier this year.

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