and i think it's a mistake because it sends the wrong signals that specially when they supported mr ouattara are very heavily that mr router as a company and governance moving forward will be tainted twenty extent by the fact that he is a supporter of the west he is controlled and he will deal with the west for kindly than any other leader would otherwise do but i think mr blood will found himself in a lot of trouble going as far back as two thousand when he came into power not to mention in two thousand and two when he refused to get mr ouattara to engage in the political machine in that country and of course the subsequent civil war that we had did not play in his favor and more so most recently when he had the elections which were otherwise certified by the international community that he did lose i think the writing was on the wall and the rest is history so are i think for all the intentions of the the french taking part in this equation and supporting mr ouattara getting involved in the politics i think it's for the right reasons i need to send a signal to mr grow that he lost the elec

thousand when he came into power not to mention in two thousand and two when he refused to get mr ouattara to be engaged in the political machine in that country and of course the subsequent civil war that we had did not play in his favor mosul most recently when he had the elections which were otherwise certified by the international commission that he did lose i think the writing was on the wall and the rest is history so i think for all the intentions of the the french taking part in this equation and supporting mr ouattara getting involved in the politics i think it's for the right reasons i mean to send a signal to mr ludlow that he lost the election be that it's controversial because it was a bug or was it always that he won those elections french wine paris what do you think about that because water is being called the bretton woods candidate and he used to be a functionary over at the i.m.f. so he does very much look like the west's man there and no insult to them a gentleman who does have a french wife on top of that i mean is he really again a find himself with the ivorian people

mr. ouattara has been protected by the u.n., but also blockaded by mr. gbagbo's forces. the situation changed when forces loyal to alassane ouattara in the north of ivory coast launched a swift offensive southwards to put military pressure on mr. gbagbo, where political pressure and mediation had failed to bring results. mike wooldridge, bbc news. >> and mike wooldridge, our world affairs correspondent, is with me now. why is it, given this has been going on since november, why is it that ouattara supporters now feel reinvigorated over the past 10 days or two weeks? >> i think for two reasons probably, but clearly a strategic decision has been taken by mr. ouattara and those around him that they should turn it into -- if you like a more conventional military campaign, bringing these, as we've just seen, quite well trained soldiers down from the north to try to take territory that has been under mr. gbagbo's control in the south. mr. gbagbo has been losing territory in the course that these forces have come down southwards from the old cease-fire line after an earlier civi

mr. ouattara has been protected by the un. the situation changed when forces loyal to alassane ouattara in the north of ivory coast launched a swift offensive to put military pressure on mr. gbagbo, where political pressure and mediation had failed to bring results. a. on this tv station that supports them, mr. ouattara says despite the many calls for a peaceful transfer of power, the only response has been violent. as a fighting continued today, the african union, which played a key role in the efforts to negotiate with mr. gbagbo, called on him to leave immediately to spare civilians from further bloodshed. >> now to get the very latest from abidjan, we can speak on the telephone with an english teacher in the city. what have you seen and heard in the last few minutes and hours? can you hear me? >> i do. i can hear you. >> i would like to know what you have seen and heard in the last few minutes and hours? >> people are shooting on the highway. people in pickups wearing civilian clothing. they are shooting. people are now goi

mr. gbagbo refused to cede power. now laurent gbagbos in custody. the suorte of his riv, alassane ouattara, but to put him on trial. but mr. gbagbo did when 45% of theote in presideial election so the supporters of assan ouattara wil have to tad carefulln thr searchor recoiliaon. thmainity of abidj useto be calledpon at the parisf africa." ivory coa is the wld's nuer o cocoa pducer. the sancons exports of e ste pu world priceso thr highest level in 30ears at the recentventin ivory coashoul serveas a fresh reminder for leade elsewhere of the dangers of trying to cling toowerhen ved out of office. bbc ws. >> t toibya were the late diplomati attempt to stop the violence hasit a stumblin block. lone gaddafi as sposey agre t a plan hated by t african union tend the fighting, but t rebels rejeed it, sayg any ide that would keep colone gdafi in power was unacceptable. we ha this report, sth o the rebel songhd of behazi >>rebel fighters savong victory in this stregic tow. no chance year of lang dn theiweaps. eir vicry depended o na's help a series of air strikes halted ddafi's forces. today, rebel so that wt th uld from the

peacekeepers and supporting french forces in ivory coast has started military action taking the side of mr ouattara carrying out air strikes on the positions held by supporters of mr gbagbo we're now looking into the legality of this situation because the peacekeepers were authorized to remain neutral nothing more we've requested an emergency briefing in the un security council we will keep looking into the matter because it's now as you were saying the international intervention does not work but other peacekeepers here actually seeking the sticking rather to their mandate because i like a resolution on libya their job is to quote protect civilians if that is that what you're seeing here. well no what you're seeing is french soldiers shooting. government forces in order to bring the rebels to power you know let's be frank about this the world of mandates the world of legalization legitimacy and so on this is all shadow play the reality is that france has soldiers in ivory coast and france has declared unequivocally its support for mr ouattara and its desire to see long being overthrown so they pic

mr. ouattara saithe aa was been cordon offnd secud. >> the fir picres of the sie. the are e forcesryinto drive ouattara out ohis pridenal bunker. >>e arhere to destroy his pala, says one soldier. t we seriously failed, said another. the fight continue . gbagb' has had enough. the brges e just next door. today, the fhting flareall over tow asor the local residents, a handful are alsoakina run foit. >> there is no water, she says. we do nodrin we doot e. fo the fst timeoday, we're starting to see civilians escapefromhe city by s buried the is been about 10 of these bus thi morni. as you can seehey're stopping th and questioning l th young men to make sure tre are milant on board. anyone suspectedf bng a pro gbag fighter idetaed and questioned we found the priners in a car wash. once dared womain. -- o that scared oman. she w lat released. into a dgeroity,he milias a still on e rampage, the death toll is rising. >> thewereilling a shooting in reighborhood st night. i saw 10 dd. >> you could argue that there in the moppingp ste of this nflict. how lonthatasts depends h

peacekeepers in supporting french forces in ivory coast and started military action taking the side of mr ouattara carrying out airstrikes on the positions held by supporters of mr gbagbo we are now looking into the legality of this situation because the peacekeepers were authorized to remain neutral nothing more we requested an emergency briefing in the un security council we will keep looking into the matter. it's the u.n. and the french troops are bombarded targets around the residence of being president and the city of abidjan forces loyal to the internationally recognized winner of the presidential poll. have since claimed that they captured the palace goza been refusing to see however since losing last november's election hundred seventy one killed during a week of fighting in the country now the u.n. says it's raids were carried out to quote protect civilians. but i still have for you this hour here on r.t. find out why a palestinian engineer who disappeared from a ukrainian train has now resurfaced in israel and stands accused of tara charges. plus japanese or thought he's ask for russia's

peacekeepers in supporting french forces in ivory coast have started military action taking the side of mr ouattara carrying out air strikes on the positions held by supporters of mr gbagbo and we're now looking into the legality of this situation because the peacekeepers were authorized to remain neutral nothing more we've requested an emergency briefing in the un security council we will keep looking into the matter. the u.n. and french troops bombarded targets around the residence of incumbent president more in the city of abidjan the u.n. says its raids were carried out to protect civilians forces loyal to the internationally recognized winner of the presidential poll on sunday with tara have since claimed to have captured the planets would not negotiate in the terms of his departure he had been refusing to cede power ever since losing last november's election hundreds have been killed during a week of fighting in the country and john laughlin from the institute for the moxon cooperation in paris says the un in france are not defending civilians but by pursuing their own goals. basically the cr

in supporting french forces you know every coast and started military actions taking the side of mr ouattara carrying out air strikes on the positions held by supporters of mr gbagbo but we are now looking into the legality of this situation because the peacekeepers were authorized to remain neutral and nothing more which we requested an emergency briefing in the un security council we will keep looking into the matter because it's so clearly. not only from russia apart from other countries concerning this international action they question the russian foreign minister they're questioning the legality but it's all happening now is what next i mean if it was a legal does it make any difference. well i think it of course it makes a difference in real politic i think what we're seeing. in this brief interview i could see summarily and the united nations says more and more sided with western global managers this can be documented this is been leaked they have not been is neutral as we would like the united nations to be and as a result of that the united nations has consequently here in cote d'i

the crisis is crystallized around the rivalry between two men as you said in your report about mr ouattara what is it what business is it of the west in my view not at all and yet the west in this case france by means of the united nations has got into the habit of intervening systematically you know other peoples conflicts we know that france is not neutral in this political crisis because france has said repeatedly and the. explicitly that it wants not on the back of both to step down so there is absolutely no shred of neutrality about france's position and yet these u.n. troops that we hear about are in fact of course french troops and they take orders from paris they don't take orders from the united nations they take them from paris and my concern about this intervention is that it fatally damages the authority of the united nations because nobody now is ever going to believe that a united nations intervention in the future is neutral when we can see in a united nations intervention as in this case being used for explicitly political purposes. you would r.t. it's good to have your com

forces loyal to the internationally recognized president alassane ouattara tried to bring into power mr ouattara supporters have so far failed to oust entrenched leader laurent gbagbo. seven un staff members have been killed after a crowd of protesters stormed their compound in northern afghanistan the demonstrators were enraged over the burning of a koran by a u.s. pastor last month eleven afghan civilians were also killed in the violence the u.n. security council has strongly condemned the attack protests in afghanistan have been ongoing for over a week now but have been largely peaceful. and three palestinian men have been killed in one thousand during an air strike by an unmanned is. drone in the southern gaza strip officials say the men were traveling in a car at the time is relative france officials claim it was a creative attack on a hamas group of militants were allegedly planning to kidnap as i have. well stay with us here in our state for the main headlines coming up in just a. little.

as forces loyal to the internationally recognized president assad would try to bring into power mr ouattara supporters have so far failed to oust entrenched leader known. three palestinian men have been killed and one injured in an airstrike unmanned israeli drone a sudden gaza strip on saturday officials say the men were traveling in a car at the time israeli defense officials claim it was a preemptive attack or a vast group of militants who were allegedly plotting to kidnap israelis. seven u.n. staff members have been killed after a crowd of protesters stormed the compound there and start demonstrators were gravestone. across the u.s. past of us the u.n. security council strongly condemned the attack just as it afghanistan have been going for over a week now but have been the most of his will. that's how the most of us today here know it's headed back with a recap and a common sense. is the view. from. the. jump be official altie of acacia joy on the phone my pod touch for me i choose up still.

forces loyal to the internationally recognized president on the fun you try to bring into power mr ouattara supporters have so far failed to oust entrenched leader laurent gbagbo. from an un staff members have been killed after a crowd of protesters stormed their compound in northern afghanistan the demonstrators were in raged over the burning of a koran by u.s. pastor last month eleven afghan civilians were also killed in the violence the u.n. security council has strongly condemned the attack protesting afghanistan has been ongoing for over a week now but has been largely peaceful. and three palestinian men have been killed and one injured in an air strike by an unmanned israeli drone in the southern gaza strip this saturday officials say the men were traveling in a car at the time israeli defense officials claim it was a preemptive attack on the last group of militants who were that's a big planning to kidnap israel. will stay with us here in r t the headlines are coming up in just a myth. nothing . else it would.

between forces loyal to laurent gbagbond thossuppting alassane ouattara, he intnatially- recognized winner of november's election. tonight, mr. gbagbo remains in his presidential cpoun from there, our crrespondent s sent this report. >> t fir ptures of the ege. these a the fces trying i and soar faing, to drive laurent gbagbo out of h presidentialompod. but were here to destroy his palace->> ware here t destrohis lace. but w have seriously fail. the fit coinues. >> mr. gbao's neighrs he had ough stight, the japanese ambassador wasescu fro the ont lines. the britis areust next door. and toy, french troops have been taking otheroreiers to saty. s fothe local residts, a handful a also mang a run for it. aurent gbagbo. >> there is noater, she says. "we do n dri." for the firstime,eee rels eapinhe cy. w've seenbout0 groupso far is morning. th are stoppg an questiing of young men, makin sure there are now mitan on bod. anyone spect ofeing pro- ggbo fighter isetaid, stripp, anquestioned. we found these in a car wash. and ere was onit scared won. >>what she told me -- >> she w lat released. into a dangerous city. the milits are sll

now alassane ouattara's soldiers try once more to remove laurent gbagbo. along the way, signs of the conflict. mrgbagbo refuses to go quietly. this war still far from over. mr. gbagbo is thought to be hiding in a bunker in his presidential palace in the heart of the city. >> i'm not a kamikaze. i love life. i love life. no, no, no. i do not seek death. it is not my goal here to die. >> u.n. and french peace keepers are on the streets. small comfort for the people of abidjan. more than a million have already fled. those who remain have little. >> i've only got sugar and some drinks says this man. tell gbagbo he should leave the country. >> these are the innocent victims after brutal power struggle that has broken a nation. daniel griffith, "bbc news." >> outattara is a resident of abidjan. he told me there has been heavy gunfire in the city for most of the day. >> during the entire day it was like a nightmare. huge bomb blasts and gunshots, heavy machine guns, and i have heard about two dead bodies not far from me right now. >> were you able to leave your house at all? when was the last time you w

ouattara ban their assault. the aim -- to cture m ggbo himself. sparking panic amongst civilis once aga near theity center. mrtry and has taken shelter in bunker and thisuxurus residences which is now being stod. sayse do not plano de ther you have to remember that in 02, we were attacked by rels. act, the same ones there re sries thai was also hidingn the same bunk. haveaken sheer in house. >> the rces loyal to his opponents haveeen givenrders capreim ave. they say it so he caerout to jtice today, ather pmine ternational figure cald on . gbagbo to stand dn imdiaty, sayinge had aot to answeror. >> he has created a situation where many innent people have been killed. and i wod hope that when president ottaraakes over, he will do everythin possible to heal the tion >> in the midst of the fighting, the united nations and french peacekeepers a still making their presence felt. this is a critical ment for the country, and the biggest fear now is that ivory coast could descend intall-out civi war. ricrd galpin, bbc ns. >> for a brief te, i spoke to andrew harding neathe in citand i aed wha cards laurent gbagbo sll

ouattara he now rewed the assault. t aim- to cpture m. gbagbo mself. sparking panic amgst civilians ce again near theity nter. mr. gant of its apparent m gbagbo aareny sll refusing to handver control of the countrytaki refuge in of opera which is now being storms. he said he did not plan die there. >> you have remember that in 2002, we were attacd rebels. in ft, the sam o. was sai then i was hiding in e bunr. the forces lal to s opponent, assa ouatta, have been givenrderto capte him ali. ey s he can be ought to juste. today, anhe prinent ternional figure calls on mr. gbagbo sta it wn immediely,aying he had a lot to answer for. >> he has creed aituion wher many innocent people have been killed. he has bten the provisions within the coury. and i wld hope at wn president ouattara takesver,e wio everhing hean to heal and reconcile the nation. >> andhe midstf th fighting, the unite nations and french peakeepers havetill be makg their prence felt. this is a itic moment for the coury. the biggestea now is that ivorcoas cldescend ito all-out civil war. richd gain, bbc news. >> for a brief te, i spoke to gela harng, who i