The Ivory Coast government has made another arrest following the news earlier this week that the coup plot was uncovered in France. Tensions are mounting in the country casting doubt over the stalling peace process.
The latest to be arrested in connection with the suspected coup is Abdoulaye Coulibaly. Well known in Ivory Coast, Abdoulaye Coulibaly was the third most powerful man in the junta of General Robert Guei that seized power in Ivory Coast in December 1999.
Abdoulaye Coulibaly was arrested at the international airport in Abidjan as he returned from Paris. Earlier this week another political figure linked to the former junta of General Guei - Ibrahim Coulibaly - was arrested in Paris where he remains in custody under suspicion of seeking to destabilize the government of Ivory Coast.
The detention of Ibrahim Coulibaly, who is not related to Abdoulaye, was followed by a wave of arrests in Abidjan and fueled tensions between the varying factions of the government of reconciliation.
Former rebels brought into government after staging an uprising last September, accuse French authorities of being stooges for President Gbagbo. They say France arrested Ibrahim Coulibaly at the behest of President Gbagbo, who is now targeting them and their sympathizers.
