The 2001 Ivorian coup attempt was a failed coup d'état in the Ivory Coast by dissident factions of the Ivorian military trying to topple Laurent Gbagbo's government. The coup attempt began on the night of January 7 when rebel forces staged attacks on state broadcast facilities and the presidential residence in Abidjan,[2][3] airing out the message "Dear compatriots, dear Ivorians. The country has undergone another change." after successfully seizing the broadcasting stations.[4]
The following clashes between government forces and the dissident soldiers caused at least six deaths, including two policemen.[4] The rebel forces were routed and driven away from state radio stations in the city.[3] In the retaken radio stations, government ministers issued a broadcast reassuring the country that the coup attempt had been foiled.[3] A three-day long curfew was imposed following the attempted coup and Felix Houphouet Boigny airport was also closed momentarily.[3][5] In the end, government forces had arrested forty soldiers involved in the coup attempt and detained them.[4]
The coup attempt, led by Ibrahim Coulibaly (IB), came to be known as the Black Mercedes Plot, named after the command vehicle IB used.[1]
The government implicated the supporters of Alassane Ouattara, who was disqualified from participating in the 2000 Ivorian Presidential Election, of being behind the coup attempt,[4] suggesting potential motives could be grievance over his exclusion from the elections due to contested claims of foreign birth.[4] The party spokesman for Quattara's party Rally of the Republicans denied such involvement, saying "We have understood the insinuation, I think they could take advantage of a situation like this to settle their score with us."[6]
References
- ^ a b par (2021-01-08). ""Complot de la mercedes noire", revivez le 1er coup d'état qui a failli renverser Gbagbo en 2001". Connectionivoirienne (in French). Retrieved 2024-05-18.
- ^ "Coup Failed In Ivory Coast, Officials Say". The New York Times. 9 January 2001. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
- ^ a b c d "CNNfyi.com - Ivory Coast coup attempt thwarted - January 8, 2001". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
- ^ a b c d e McGreal, Chris (2001-01-09). "Ivory Coast rounds up coup suspects". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
- ^ "Coup attempt fails, airport closed". The New Humanitarian.
- ^ "Ivory Coast Security Forces Defeat Coup Attempt". Washington Post. 2024-01-16. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
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