These photos were taken during an MSF relief mission for civilians displaced by the conflict in Ivory Coat.
The
2010–11 Ivorian crisis was a political crisis in
Ivory Coast which began after
Laurent Gbagbo, the
President of Ivory Coast since 2000, was proclaimed the winner of the
Ivorian election of 2010, the first election in the country in 10 years. The opposition candidate,
Alassane Ouattara a former employee of the IMF, and a number of countries, organisations and leaders worldwide claimed Ouattara had won the election. After months of attempted negotiation and sporadic violence, the crisis entered a decisive stage as Ouattara's forces
began a military offensive in which they quickly gained control of most of the country and besieged key targets in
Abidjan, the country's largest city. International organizations have reported numerous human rights violations, and the UN undertook its own military action with the stated objective to protect itself and civilians. A significant step in bringing an end to the crisis occurred on 11 April 2011 upon the capture and arrest of Gbagbo in Abidjan by pro-Ouattara forces backed by French forces.
