Ivory Coast: UN experts attacked in Yamoussoukro

ASTANA. March 1. KAZINFORM United Nations experts in Ivory Coast came under fire as they were trying to investigate reports of a violation of the arms embargo imposed on the country, the global body says. Kazinform refers to BBC.

The UN team was attacked in the capital, Yamoussoukro.

They were looking into reports that Belarus had provided attack helicopters for supporters of Laurent Gbagbo, who refuses to give up the presidency.

Belarus has denied the allegations as "groundless".

The UN Sanctions Committee on Ivory Coast says it has not been able to positively confirm the shipment, though it said UN personnel should continue monitoring the situation.

A planned meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the reports has been cancelled.

Meanwhile, Ivory Coast's former rebels say they are ready to take military action against Mr Gbagbo.

New Forces spokesman Cisee Sindou told the BBC that the group would act if fighting continued between Mr Gbagbo's supporters and those of his rival, Alassane Ouattara.

However, Mr Sindou said that no military operation was imminent.

Mr Ouattara is widely seen as the winner of November's presidential poll.

Neither Mr Gbagbo nor Mr Ouattara have publicly commented on the rebel spokesman's warning.

Clashes between Mr Gbagbo's and Mr Ouattara's supporters has prompted the UN to warn the country is at risk of relapsing into civil war. Kaziform cites BBC. See www.bbc.co.uk for full version