Operation Unicorn

The operation Licorne is the name of the participation of the French armed forces, under French command, with the maintenance of Peace in Ivory Coast. It is distinct but complementary to ONUCI (Operation of the United Nations in Ivory Coast).

Mission

The “force Unicorn”, ordered by a general officer (COMANFOR), assisted of a general associates operations, is organized around a PCIAT (headquarters interarmées of theater), stationed with Port-Bouët, in the district of the 43 {{E}} BIMa (prépositionnée force, which currently forms a GTIA).

It is made up of tactical groupings interarmes (GTIA), distributed on the territory of the Ivory Coast, including/understanding units various weapons or services (infantry, cavalry, train, department of health, actions civilo-soldiers, etc), of a battalion of the light Aviation of the Army (BATALAT), of a logistic battalion (BATLOG), squadrons of Anti-riot police and provostal units, and a grouping of operational transport (GTO) of the air force.

The main mission of the Licorne force is to support ONUCI: the French force constitutes a fast force of reaction of third rank likely to act with the profit of the U.N. force, this one intervening in support of the action of the armed forces of the Ivory Coast. In addition, Licorne can, if need be, ensure the safety of the French nationals and foreign.

The force Unicorn and ONUCI are indicated in Ivory Coast by the term of “Impartial forces”

The cost of this operation is estimated at approximately of 200 million euros per annum.

History

This military operation implying more than 4.000 men in the beginning (2400 soldiers in August 2007), begins in September 2002 (beginning of the events of Ivory Coast), independently of the operation of the the United Nations, within the framework of the agreements of defense signed between the two countries the August 24th 1961. France, then the CEDEAO (the Community of the States of West Africa), send important military quotas to separate the belligerents (forces of interposition). According to the French authorities, supported by a resolution of the the United Nations, this interposition would have made it possible to avoid a civil war and many massacres.

An agreement between all the political clouts is signed in France, with Marcoussis, the January 24th 2003. It envisages simultaneously the maintenance of the Head of the State in exercise, the president Laurent Gbagbo, the installation of an integral national reconciliation government of the representatives of the rebellion and the implementation of a program tackling the basic main subjects at the origin of the crisis of the Ivory Coast (nationality, rural land and buildings, eligibility, reorganization of the army, disarmament of the rebellion).

The objective is the behavior of democratic elections end of the year 2005 (at the end of October), but those will be pushed back. The Safety advice of the United Nations endorses this agreement. The April 4th 2004, the operation of the United Nations in Ivory Coast (ONUCI, 6.240 men) takes over quota of CEDEAO, at the sides of the force Licorne which remains in support under French command (4 600 men).

The November 6th 2004, governmental aviation of the Ivory Coast carries out an air raid on the French position of Bouaké. One deplores 9 dead and 37 wounded among the French soldiers (2nd regiment of marines, regiment of infantry-tanks of navy, 515e regiment of the train). The French forces counteract by destroying both Soukhoï Known-25 of the Ivory Coast on the basis of Yamoussoukro, fifteen minutes after the attack.

The French president Jacques Chirac gives the order of destruction of all the military air means of the Ivory Coast, in order to prevent all new attack of the national Armed forces of Ivory Coast (FANCI) against the “rebels” of the Armed forces of the new forces, which would be contrary with the Agreements of Marcoussis, and to prohibit other aggressions against the French positions.

The events of November 2004, during which the French Army opens fire on demonstrators of the Ivory Coast hostile, put the Licorne force in delicate position with respect to the civil populations. The suspect death of of the Ivory Coast, in May 2005, causes the suspension, then the blame and the change, of its assistant and major general Henri Poncet operations, the general of Malaussène, as well as the suspension of the colonel Eric Burgaud, chief of police of the 13th battalion of Alpine hunters and a Sous-officier of this battalion by the Minister for Defense, Michele Alliot-Marie.

Commanders of the operation Unicorn

The operation of the United Nations in Ivory Coast is ordered, since the April 4th 2006 by the Beninese Major general Fernand Marcel Amoussou.

See too

Sources

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