Concerns, abductions in Ivory Coast grow

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast - The United Nations said yesterday it has received hundreds of reports of people being abducted from their homes at night by armed assailants in military uniform and that there is growing evidence of "massive violations of human rights" since Ivory Coast's disputed election.

The statement from Navi Pillay, the UN high commissioner for human rights came a day after the UN said its force would remain in Ivory Coast despite demands from the man refusing to give up the presidency that thousands of peacekeepers get out of the West African country.

Pillay said more than 50 people have been killed in the past three days. Previous estimates were that up to 30 people had died in the violence.

She said in a statement from her office in Geneva that the armed assailants behind the home abductions had been "accompanied by elements of the Defense and Security Forces or militia groups."

International pressure is mounting for Laurent Gbagbo to concede defeat to opposition leader Alassane Ouattara, whose victory has been recognized by the United Nations, the United States, former colonizer France and the African Union.

In Washington, the State Department ordered all but its emergency personnel Sunday to leave Ivory Coast because of the deteriorating security situation and growing anti-Western sentiment.

U.S. officials also warned all American citizens to avoid travel to the Ivory Coast until further notice.

- AP