{"id":348207,"date":"2011-03-29T21:41:35","date_gmt":"2011-03-29T21:41:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/03\/29\/ceasefire-appeal-in-ivory-coast\/"},"modified":"2011-03-29T21:41:35","modified_gmt":"2011-03-29T21:41:35","slug":"ceasefire-appeal-in-ivory-coast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/29\/ceasefire-appeal-in-ivory-coast\/","title":{"rendered":"Ceasefire appeal in Ivory Coast"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n 29 March 2011<\/span>
\nLast updated at <\/span>17:41 ET<\/span>
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Ivorian incumbent Laurent Gbagbo has appealed for an immediate ceasefire after advances by forces loyal to President-elect Alassane Ouattara. <\/p>\n

A spokesman for Mr Gbagbo said the army had adopted a strategy of tactical withdrawal but warned it could use its “legitimate right of defence”.<\/p>\n

In the town of Doekoue, up to 30,000 people took refuge in a church compound to escape the fighting.<\/p>\n

Mr Gbagbo refuses to stand down despite the UN saying he lost November’s poll.<\/p>\n

Some one million people have fled the violence – mostly in Abidjan – and at least 462 people have been killed since December, according to the UN.<\/p>\n

“We call for an immediate ceasefire and the opening of talks under the mediation of the African Union high representative. Failing which, we will use our legitimate right of defence,” Ahoua Don Mello, Mr Gbagbo’s spokesman, was quoted as saying by AFP news agency.<\/p>\n

“We have adopted a strategy of tactical withdrawal. We hope that dialogue will open very shortly. It is useless to head into conflict and increase the number of victims.”<\/p>\n

Dual offensive<\/span><\/p>\n

Mr Don Mello said Mr Gbagbo’s camp had received an invitation from the African Union to talks in Addis Ababa on 4-6 April, and saw “no reason to refuse an occasion for dialogue.”<\/p>\n

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Ivory Coast: Battle for power<\/h2>\n

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