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Ivory Coast Curfew After Coup Attempt
Ivory Coast's government set an overnight curfew for three nights following an attempted coup on Jan.8.
The curfew would run from 9 p.m. local time until 6 a.m. from Monday night, government spokesman Mamadou Koulibaly told a news conference after an emergency cabinet meeting.
At least eight people were killed in the attempted coup, which happened just over a year after a military takeover sparked months of turmoil.
Sporadic gunfire continued until midday on Monday, but the level of violence had sharply diminished and the government of President Laurent Gbagbo appeared to be in control.
"Ivorians can heave a sigh of relief," Interior Minister Emile Boga Doudou said on state television.
Streets were almost deserted in much of Abidjan, Ivory Coast's main city, apart from patrolling soldiers.
The coup started on Sunday night when armed men commandeered civilian vehicles to attack strategic sites, including state broadcasting offices, a military base, a paramilitary compound and Gbagbo's residence, officials said.
From about 4 a.m., state radio, which had earlier gone off the air, began repeatedly playing the national anthem and then a brief statement by a man who did not identify himself.
"At the hour that we speak the country has undergone another page of our history. Radio and television are currently in the hands of the military," he said.
"I want to reassure the population that their security is guaranteed. ... I ask all our brothers in arms to align themselves."
Pro-government forces regained control a few hours later, arresting about 15 people, Kouassi said.
Security forces were searching for more suspects.
Doudou said he had been aware of the plot for a few days, but decided to let it go ahead to catch the plotters in the act.
The Ivorian Cabinet was to meet later Monday, and Gbagbo was also expected to address the nation, officials said.
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