U.N. envoy to probe justice in Ivory Coast

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ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Impunity for alleged violations of human rights in Ivory Coast is the focal point of a 19-day visit by a U.N. rights envoy, the United Nations said.

The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights announced Ivorian rights envoy Doudou Diene arrived in the country Monday.

"An important part of my work is to address the issue of impunity for gross human rights violations in Ivory Coast, including the monitoring of the judicial responses to the crisis in the country, both at the national and the international levels," Diene said in a statement.

The U.N. peacekeeping mission in Ivory Coast said last month it was "carefully reassessing current threats and risks and operational requirements" in light of recent attacks near Abidjan.

Ivorian officials suggested fighters loyal to former President Laurent Gbagbo were behind some of the violence. He's awaiting trial at the International Criminal Court for allegedly committing crimes against humanity during violence that followed contested 2010 presidential elections.

Human rights groups say forces loyal to President Alassane Ouattara may have also been behind atrocities during the post-election crisis, however.