Ivory Coast: Situation remains tense in Abidjan and Bouaké May 15 /update 4

Event

Gunshots were reported in the capital Abidjan and in the city of Bouaké on the morning (local time) of Monday, May 15, including at the Akouedo and Gallieni military camps in Abidjan, as well as near the naval base located in the Youpougon district of the capital. The incidents have resulted in the closure of nearby streets. According to local sources, access to Abidjan's Plateau, Palmeraie, and Riviera 3 district is currently barred and traffic disruptions are reported in Youpougon due to roadblocks erected by the military.

In Abidjan, most international schools such as the Blaise Pascal and Jacques Prévert French schools as well as international organizations, including the African Development Bank and the United Nations are closed on Monday. Additionally, acting on the advice of the Professional Association for the Banks and Financial Institutions of Côte d’Ivoire (APBEF-CI), all the banks have been closed in Abidjan. Shops and businesses are also affected. In Bouaké, residents are remaining at home due to the security situation; gunshots were still being reported as of Monday afternoon; a military operation is reportedly ongoing in order to disarm disgruntled soldiers. Sporadic gunshots were also heard in San Pedro, Daloa, Bondoukou, Abengourou, Anyama, Toulepleu, and Tabou.

Most Western Embassies have issued a security message advising their nationals to be highly vigilant in the affected cities and to strictly avoid the areas surrounding all military camps. Moreover, the embassies advise against travel by road to from Bouaké, due to roadblocks on the highways leading to the city.

According to a spokesperson for the mutineers, the mutiny is “not an attempt to stage a coup, but a call to obtain the unpaid bonuses,” adding that once the bonuses are paid, the situation will return to normal.

At least 20 people have reportedly been injured and one killed since the beginning of the mutiny on May 12.

Further tensions, including violent clashes between groups of soldiers, are increasingly likely in Bouaké and other affected cities in the coming hours and days.

Context

This most recent soldier mutiny over unpaid bonuses began on Friday, May 12, with disgruntled soldiers firing into the air in Bouaké and taking control of the national military headquarters and the Defense Ministry in Abidjan. After tense negotiations on Friday, the rebelling soldiers withdrew from the buildings and barricades erected throughout the city were dismantled. Later in the day a spokesman for the soldiers issued an apology for to President Ouattara. However, protesting soldiers claimed that the spokesman did not represent them and the mutiny continued across the country with incidents taking place in Bouaké, Korhogo, Daloa, Man, and Bondoukou May 13-14.

Soldiers launched an earlier mutiny on January 6 over low wages and unpaid bonuses supposedly owed to the soldiers after the 2010-2011 post-electoral crisis. Calm was restored after an agreement between mutineers and the government was reached on January 7. Nevertheless, the situation remained volatile in the days and weeks after the agreement. A similar uprising occurred in 2014, when hundreds of soldiers blocked roads throughout the country demanding unpaid wages. The government ultimately reached a financial settlement with the soldiers.

Ivory Coast experienced a drawn-out political crisis from 2002 to 2011 but is now considered one of Africa's most promising economies, the largest in francophone West Africa. However, the country's military continues to suffer from large internal divisions stemming from long-standing animosities among current soldiers (opponents in previous conflicts) and a lack of reform.

Advice

Individuals present in Bouaké and other areas where unrest is ongoing are advised to avoid unnecessary movements, to be prepared to shelter in place for a period of several days should the situation deteriorate, to keep abreast of ongoing developments, and to follow any instructions issued by local authorities or their home governments.

On a separate note, due to tensions between ethnic groups and occasional outbreaks of deadly violence, some Western governments advise against nonessential travel to the southwestern border areas with Liberia (Bas-Sassandra, Haut-Sassandra, Dix-Huit Montagnes regions). Additionally, due to high crime rates in urban areas, visitors to Ivory Coast are advised to maintain a low profile at all times as criminals may target foreigners due to their perceived affluence. Be particularly vigilant after dusk and avoid traveling by foot at night. Be aware that criminals may be armed; do not resist in the event of an attempted robbery.