Hard Times For UN Peacekeepers In Ivory Coast

UN troops deployed to Ivory Coast are standing firm in the face of threats to "starve them out".

Forces loyal to incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo of Ivory Coast were trying to "starve" U.N. peacekeepers into "submission" by blocking their supplies at border crossings, as the West African nation slid into a "real risk of a return to civil war," U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday.

In an address to the U.N. General Assembly, Mr. Ban said the lack of supplies "will put our peacekeepers in a critical situation in coming days." On Monday, the Security Council defied Mr. Gbagbo's order to expel all 9,000 U.N. troops by extending their deployment a further six months.

Mr. Ban called on the international community to ensure the U.N. troops are supplied. "Any attempt to starve the United Nations mission into submission will not be tolerated," he said.

The U.S., U.N., European Union and African Union have all backed Mr. Gbagbo's challenger, Alassane Ouattara, as the winner of the Nov. 28 presidential election, but Mr. Gbagbo refuses to step down.

By: Shelldrake