Cote d'Ivoire : to reopen borders with Ghana

Cote d'Ivoire has decided to reopen all its borders with Ghana, after they were closed following attacks against the bases of Cote d'Ivoire's defense and security forces in the southeast of the West African country. "The president of the republic has decided that as from Monday, Oct. 8, at 7:00 a.m. (local time), all land and maritime borders will be reopened," Cote d'Ivoire's Defense Minister Paul Koffi Koffi announced on Sunday. Cote d'Ivoire closed borders with Ghana on Sept. 21 following armed attacks by unknown gunmen at one of its border posts. The attack left one government soldier injured and five assailants dead. Thousands of Cote d'Ivoire citizens supporting ex-president Laurent Gbagbo have been living in exile in Ghana since the post- election crisis between late 2010 and early 2011. The government said the Sept. 21 raid launched by attackers from Ghana and that they returned to Ghana after the attack. On Sept. 24, Cote d'Ivoire announced the reopening of its aerial border with Ghana. Koffi Koffi noted that since then, the leaders of the two countries "have been in contact and the two friendly nations have reinforced security along their borders with a view of averting further attacks."