They were close enough to shake the house. Unrest jars nation Ivory Coast has seen more than a year of political and ethnic chaos, and the country has been rife with rumors of divisions within the military. Gen. Robert Guei, the country's military ruler, was ousted late last year in presidential elections. He was succeeded by Gbagbo. The following months saw two major military uprisings, tumultuous elections and a brutal wave of killings.
Persistent rumors have Guei making an attempted comeback.
Several weeks ago, Gbagbo accused Guei of recruiting Liberian mercenaries for a possible attempt at destabilizing the civilian government. Civil unrest continues in Ivory Coast. Gbagbo's supporters have engaged in political and ethnic fighting with rival opposition leader, Alassane Dramane Ouattara. A Muslim, Ouattara was barred from running for president and later for parliament because of questions about his nationality. He insists that he and his parents are Ivorian.