Doubts about death toll in the west

Various sources reported that Danane, a rebel-held town in western Cote d'Ivoire was attacked by helicopter gunships this week. However, a UN source said reports that many people had died in the reported attack had not been confirmed. The source said two deaths had been confirmed in Danane. Armed forces spokesman Lt Col Aka N'Goran said on Wednesday that loyalist forces had not carried out air attacks in the west. The interim minister of defence, Assoa Adou, issued a communique dated 9 April in which he said it was "not the vocation of the defence forces to attack civilian populations". Without mentioning specific locations or dates, he said defence and security forces had been "forced to react to a massive attack by more than 500 men aboard some 60 vehicles to protect defenceless civilians".