Mutineers Wound Ivory Coast Protesters

Six people, including a mother of three, were wounded when renegade soldiers in Ivory Coast opened fire at a protest against an army mutiny in Bouake, according to witnesses.

The mutiny over a pay dispute began in Bouake on Friday, and spread quickly to other cities and towns, mirroring an uprising by the same group in January.

The injured were brought to Bouake’s main hospital with bullet wounds early on Sunday. Two other protesters, who had been beaten up, were also being treated.

Sergeant Seydou Kone, a spokesman for the mutiny, confirmed to Reuters news agency that the soldiers had dispersed crowds in Bouake on Sunday but said he was not aware of any injuries.

“The population rose up, but the mutineers quickly dispersed the march with shots,” Bouake resident Simon Guede told Reuters.

“Everything is closed. No one is in the streets except the soldiers and a few protesters.”

The soldiers, most of them former rebel fighters who fought to bring President Alassane Ouattara to power, cut off access to Bouake on Friday, defying the army chief, who has threatened severe punishment if they did not return to barracks.

The defence minister has vowed not to negotiate with the renegade troops.