United Nations, April 06: The United Nations believes “several hundred” people were killed in massacres in a western Ivory Coast town last week and one mass grave had almost 200 bodies, UN officials said today.
The mass killings were in the town of Duekoue where followers of internationally-recognised president Alassane Ouattara took control last week after beating forces loyal to Ivory Coast strongman Laurent Gbagbo.
“It appears that several hundred civilians were killed in at least two separate incidents and many others may have been killed in direct fighting between armed militias,” UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said.
Separately UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos, who has just left Duekue, said investigators had found one mass grave, according to her spokeswoman Stephanie Bunker.
Almost 200 bodies had been found in the grave and others had been found in other parts of the town, Amos was quoted as saying.
-Agencies