Beirut, March 29: Lebanon’s embassy in Ivory Coast received a threat via email targeting the Lebanese community in the troubled African nation.
A statement from the embassy said the email included a threat to “the Lebanese community which it accused of meddling in Ivorian political affairs and providing funds for [Ivorian President Laurent] Gbagbo and for his war criminals to kill innocent Ivorian people.”
The embassy said the author of the email claimed to be speaking on behalf of “The Invisible Commandos,” which, Ivorian media outlets say, represent the gunmen who are fighting Gbagbo’s forces.
Tensions have risen steadily since Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara both claimed victory in the presidential runoff, which many had hoped would end a decade of crisis in Ivory Coast.
Following the heated November elections, violence broke out in Ivory Coast’s formal capital, Abidjan, when troops loyal to Gbagbo opened fire on supporters of Ouattara.
The international community recognized Ouattara as the legitimate victor in the December 10 elections, but prior to this, Lebanon’s ambassador to Ivory Coast, Ali Ajami, attended the ceremony to celebrate Gbagbo’s victory, raising concerns for the safety of the Lebanese community.
The email also said the “The Invisible Commandos” claimed responsibility for killing Lebanese businessman Ali Fawwaz, whose body was found in a river in Abidjan earlier this month.
The embassy said it had informed the foreign ministries of Lebanon and Ivory Coast, plus leading figures of the Lebanese community in Ivory Coast, of the email, so they could exercise caution. There are around 100,000 Lebanese living in the African country, according to Ajami’s estimates.
Separately, President Michel Sleiman examined a series of reports, prepared by Lebanese embassies in the Arab countries witnessing unrest, on the Lebanese communities in these states. He also discussed the situation over the weekend with leaders of troubled Arab states, in particular Bahrain, via telephone.
——–Agencies