France has brought in reinforcements to Ivory Cost as violence there escalates.

There is widespread unrest and pro-government supporters have clashed with French troops in the country’s two main cities. Ivorian authorities claim 30 people have been killed by French forces and hundreds more have been wounded. The situation began to spin out of control on Saturday after Ivorian fighter jets killed nine French peacekeepers and an American civilian. Paris retaliated by destroying practically all the African nation’s airforce Ivory Coast has effectively been split in two since a ceasefire deal in May last year, rebels control the north, the government the south. That truce was shattered after the army launched attacks on rebel positions and advanced its soldiers to a neutral buffer zones. As hundreds more French soldiers arrive, there are unconfirmed reports Ivorian forces may be pulling back. Yesterday, the UN Security Council gave the 10,000 French and other international peacekeepers the greenlight to use all necessary means to end the fighting.

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