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Ivorian leader's army accused of crimes

Ivory Coast government officials stated on Aprl 13, 2011 that President Alassane Ouattara will soon move into the palace of foe Laurent Gbagbo. Incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo refused to step down despite a U.N. Security Council Resolution recognizing rival Alassane Ouattara as the winner of an election meant to unite a country divided by civil war. UPI/Basile Zoma/UN
1 of 5 | Ivory Coast government officials stated on Aprl 13, 2011 that President Alassane Ouattara will soon move into the palace of foe Laurent Gbagbo. Incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo refused to step down despite a U.N. Security Council Resolution recognizing rival Alassane Ouattara as the winner of an election meant to unite a country divided by civil war. UPI/Basile Zoma/UN | License Photo

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, May 25 (UPI) -- The forces of new Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara are hunting down supporters of the ousted Laurent Gbagbo, Amnesty International charged Wednesday.

Ouattara was inaugurated Saturday in the presence of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other foreign leaders, promising peace and reconciliation. The international community supported his fight to overthrow Gbagbo, who surrendered April 11.

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"Human rights violations are still being committed against real or perceived supporters of Laurent Gbagbo both in Abidjan and in the west of the country," said Gaetan Mootoo, Amnesty's West Africa researcher. "Alassane Ouattara's failure to condemn these acts could be seen as a green light."

Amnesty's report also blamed Gbagbo's defeated fighters for atrocities during six months of civil war.

The group said its interviews with survivors of the March 29 massacre in the western town of Duekoue "all indicate a systematic and targeted series of killings" by Ouattara's Republican Forces.

"They came into the yards and chased the women. Then they told the men to line up and asked them to state their first and second names and show their identity card. Then they executed them," a woman charged.

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Amnesty condemned a U.N. force stationed near Duekoue for failing to stop the slaughter.

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