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[Schneemann]

Ivory Coast: Women 'shot during pro-Ouattara march'

Security forces in Ivory Coast have shot dead at least six women marching in support of Alassane Ouattara in the main city of Abidjan, witnesses say.

Mr Ouattara is recognised by the UN as the winner of November's election, but Laurent Gbagbo has refused to concede power. The shooting took place in Abobo, a pro-Ouattara stronghold which has seen violent clashes for more than a week.

Recent unrest has prompted the UN to warn of a return to civil war. "Men in uniform drove up and started shooting randomly," Idrissa Diarrassouba, a resident in Abobo, told Reuters news agency. The women belonged to Mr Ouattara's political alliance, the RHDP. The UN says around 200,000 people have fled the Abobo district over the past few weeks.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12637088">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12637088</a><!-- m -->

Schneemann.