United Nations Operation in Côte d ' Ivoire The United Nations Operation in Côte d ' Ivoire ( , ONUCI ) is a peacekeeping mission whose objective is " to facilitate the implementation by the Ivorian parties of the peace agreement signed by them in January 2003 " ( which aimed to end the Ivorian Civil War ) . The two main Ivorian parties here are the Ivorian Government forces who control the south of the country , and the New Forces ( former rebels ) , who control the north . The UNOCI mission aims to control a " zone of confidence " across the centre of the country separating the two parties . The Head of Mission and Special Representative of the Secretary - General is Bert Koenders from the Netherlands . He has succeeded Choi Young - jin from South Korea in 2011 . History . The mission was authorized by Security Council Resolution 1528 on 27 February 2004 to take over from MINUCI from 4 April 2004 . The mandate was subsequently extended several times , including 31 October 2008 , 31 January 2010 , 27 May 2010 , 20 December 2010 , and most recently on 27 July 2011 . In February 2006 , following an appeal by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan , the United Nations Security Council agreed to strengthen the ONUCI forces by sending a battalion from United Nations Mission in Liberia with 800 - soldiers to Ivory Coast . As of November 2006 , the mission consisted of about 8 , 000 uniformed soldiers from a total of 41 countries . They have included , from the Bangladeshi Army , 56th and 57th Battalions , East Bengal Regiment . They were deployed alongside 4 , 000 French soldiers of the Operation Licorne intervention . On 29 July 2008 , the day before UNOCI ' s mandate was set to expire , the UN Security Council unanimously voted to extend its mandate to 31 January 2009 so that the peacekeepers could " support the organization of free , open , fair and transparent elections " . A presidential election is planned for 2009 , after numerous delays arising from postwar issues . In January 2006 , supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo attacked the base of the United Nations peacekeepers after the Ivorian Popular Front withdrew from the Ivorian Civil War peace process . About 1 , 000 protesters invaded the UN base at Guiglo . In the aftermath of the 2010 presidential election , incumbent president Gbagbo said UNOCI troops should leave the country . However , the UN refused to do so , upon which Gbagbo ' s aides then said UN troops would be treated as " rebels " should they stay in the country , where they are protecting the internationally recognised though domestically disputed winner of the election . On 30 March United Nations Security Council Resolution 1975 was issued which , in particular , urged all Ivorian parties to respect the will of the people and the election of Alassane Ouattara as President of Ivory Coast , as recognised by the Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS ) , the African Union and the rest of the international community and reiterated that UNOCI could use " all necessary measures " in its mandate to protect civilians under imminent threat of attack . Heavy fighting broke out on 31 March 2011 as forces of Alassane Ouattara advanced on Abidjan from several directions . The United Nations peacekeepers took control of Abidjan ' s airport when Gbagbo ' s forces abandoned it and United Nations forces were also reported to be carrying out protective security operations in the city . The UN peacekeeping mission said its headquarters were fired on by Gbabgo ' s special forces on 31 March , and returned fire in an exchange lasting about three hours . UN convoys have also come under attack by Gbagbo loyalists four times since 31 March , with three peacekeepers injured in one of the attacks . The peacekeepers had exchanged fire with Gbagbo loyalists in several parts of the city . On 4 April 2011 UN and French helicopters also began firing on pro - Gbagbo military installations , a French military spokesman said the attacks were aimed at heavy artillery and armoured vehicles . Eyewitnesses reported seeing two UN Mi - 24P attack helicopters firing missiles at the Akouédo military camp in Abidjan . UN helicopters were flown by Ukrainian Ground Forces crews seconded to the United Nations . The attacks sparked protests by a Gbagbo spokesperson , who said that such actions were " illegal , illegitimate and unacceptable . " UN Secretary - General Ban Ki - moon defended the actions , however , saying that " the [ UN ] mission has taken this action in self - defence and to protect civilians . " He noted that Gbagbo ’ s forces had fired on United Nations patrols and attacked the organization ’ s headquarters in Abidjan “ with heavy - caliber sniper fire as well as mortars and rocket - propelled grenades , ” wounding four peacekeepers . Russia n Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia intends to look into the legitimacy of the use of force by UN peacekeepers . The position of the Russian government was that any foreign interference would only lead to increasing violence . On 9 April , pro - Gbagbo forces were reported to have fired on the Golf Hotel , where Ouattara was located . The attackers reportedly used both sniper rifles and mortars ; in response , UN peacekeepers fired on them . The following day , United Nations and French forces carried out further air strikes against Gbagbo ' s remaining heavy weapons , using Mi - 24 and Aérospatiale Gazelle attack helicopters . The attack was reported to have caused heavy damage to the presidential palace . On 11 April , Ouattara ' s forces stormed Gbagbo ' s residence and arrested him . The final assault was assisted by French forces using helicopters and armoured vehicles , although the actual capture was made by Ouattara ' s troops . Gbagbo , his wife , son and about 50 members of his entourage were captured unharmed and were taken to the Golf Hotel , Ouattara ' s headquarters , where they were placed under United Nations guard . Casualties . A total of 72 UN personnel have died during UNOCI , including 54 UN peacekeeping troops ( this may vary because UNOCI is still an ongoing peacekeeping mission ) . On 8 June 2012 , seven Niger soldiers , eight locals and one or two Ivorian soldiers were killed in an attack near the village of Taï in the southwestern region of the country . As a result of the attack , thousands of villagers fled from the area . The deaths were suspected to have occurred as a result of a border - crossing ambush by a Liberian militia . Secretary - General of the United Nations Ban Ki - moon said he was " saddened and outraged " by the deaths . Ban urged the Ivorian government to " identify the perpetrators and hold them accountable . " Ivorian Defense minister Paul Koffi Koffi said that soldiers " must go to the other side of the border to establish a security zone . " Liberian Information Minister Lewis Brown said that president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf had ordered the immediate deployment of forces to the border in response to the attack . Forces . On 30 April 2012 – 10 , 954 total uniformed personnel , including 9 , 404 troops , 200 military observers , 1 , 350 police , 400 international civilian personnel , 758 local staff and 290 United Nations Volunteers . The Force Commander is Major - General Muhammad Iqbal Asi from Pakistan . The Police Commissioner is Major - General Jean Marie Bourry from France .