Ivory Coast closes border with Ghana

GlobalPost

Ivory Coast closed its border with Ghana Friday after at least 10 people were killed in attacks from the neighboring country on its security forces.

"Land, air and sea borders are closed until further notice," minister Hamed Bakayoko told Reuters. "This was organized, ordered, and executed from Ghanaian territory, and the Ghanaian authorities know who these people are."

More from GlobalPost: Ivory Coast: 7 UN peacekeepers killed in ambush

The attack began on Thursday and carried into Friday morning, when gunmen started firing at two police stations and a military post in the coastal town of Port-Bouet, reported CNN. Defense Minister Paul Koffi Koffi said the border town of Noe was also attacked, and that those responsible fled to Ghana after five of the gunmen were killed.

According to the Voice of America, Ivorian authorities believe supporters of former President Laurent Gbagbo are responsible for the attacks. Fears of instability have been renewed a year after a post-election civil war killed more than 3000 people in the west African country. The long-time ruler refused to concede election victory to his opponent Alassane Ouattara.

Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama has said his country will not be used as a base for operations aimed at destabilizing its neighbor.

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