29 bodies found in mass grave

ABIDJAN (AP):

A new mass grave containing 29 bodies has been found in a restive suburb of Ivory Coast's commercial capital, said a resident, who stressed that the victims were killed in the aftermath of a political stand-off that plunged the country into violence.

United Nations investigators had said they were looking into the reports of new mass grave.

Yopougon resident Brahima Bakayoko said late Saturday that militants loyal to arrested strongman Laurent Gbagbo swept through the neighbourhood amid celebrations over Gbagbo's April 11 arrest.

He said the militants targeted members of two ethnic groups that supported democratically elected President Alassane Ouattara, the Dioula and the Baoule.

"Here, they killed two youths of the Baoule and they forced us to bury them in the same tomb," he said, adding that he counted 29 bodies in the grave.

An Associated Press reporter visited the site late Saturday and spoke to other residents who said their family members were killed. They did not give their names.