Military of Ivory Coast

The defense and security forces of Côte d'Ivoire ( in the original: Forces de défense et de sécurité, FDS short ), the former umbrella organization of all security forces of Côte d'Ivoire.

Structure

The FDS passed ( December 2010), among others, from:

• Forces Armées national de Côte d'Ivoire ( FANCI ), the army of the Ivory Coast
• The national police and paramilitary gendarmerie units
• An elite Republican Guard (also referred as guard Présidentielle )

Overall, in the official security agencies serve approximately 18,000 soldiers. These were formed in 2002 with the support of Angola. They are equipped with modern weapons.

• Forces Armées des Forces Nouvelles ( FAFN ), the combat troops of the Forces Nouvelles. These are only marginally integrated into the FDS.

Compounds

Coordination with the, present in the Ivory Coast international troops of Opération des Nations Unies en Côte d' Ivoire and the Licorne the Centre de Commandement of Opérations de Sécurité ( CECOS ) is responsible.

History

Prior to 2002, were the FDS of officers, especially NCOs, dominated from the north.

Since parts of the FDS in 2002 against then- President Laurent Gbagbo coup, which eventually led to civil war in the Ivory Coast, it was rebuilt by Gbagbo. In 2004, he occupied the post of chief of staff Philippe Mangou, one of his confidants.

The FDS applied during the government crisis 2010/2011 mostly as loyal to Laurent Gbagbo standing.

On 12 January 2011 attacked members of the FDS, according to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki -moon, a UN vehicle in Abidjan, and then set it on fire.

Members of the FDS fought in the night of 31 March to 1 April 2011 fierce artillery battles with the forces Républicaines de Côte d' Ivoire ( FRCI ).

On April 1, the FDS gave largely to the fight against the FRCI. Only the Republican Guard fought on.