Seven women shot dead in Ivory Coast protests

Summary of story from Guardian, 3.2.11

Further to yesterday’s WVoN story, it seems that seven women (not six as originally reported) were massacred during a peaceful protest in Ivory Coast.

The women were protesting at the refusal of Laurent Gbagbo to leave office, as the UN said more than 200,000 people have fled the intensified fighting.

“Men in uniform drove up and started shooting randomly. Six women died on the spot,” Idrissa Diarrassouba told Reuters. A seventh died in hospital. Many others were wounded.

There was no official comment but a military source confirmed the shooting. “It was a blunder that we regret,” the source said, adding that security forces believe rebels sometimes hide among civilians. “It is unfortunate.”

You can read more about this story in the Independent.