cy . ▁This ▁spark ed ▁violent ▁protest s ▁in ▁which ▁his ▁supp or ters , ▁mainly ▁from ▁the ▁country ' s ▁north , ▁batt led ▁ri ot ▁police ▁in ▁the ▁capital , ▁Yam ouss ou k ro . ▁ ▁I vor ian ▁Civil ▁War ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁hours ▁of ▁ 1 9 ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁while ▁the ▁President ▁was ▁in ▁Italy , ▁an ▁armed ▁u pr ising ▁occurred . ▁Tro ops ▁who ▁were ▁to ▁be ▁dem obil ised ▁mut in ied , ▁launch ing ▁attacks ▁in ▁several ▁cities . ▁The ▁battle ▁for ▁the ▁main ▁g endar mer ie ▁bar ra cks ▁in ▁Ab id jan ▁last ed ▁until ▁mid - mor ning , ▁but ▁by ▁l unch time , ▁the ▁government ▁forces ▁had ▁secured ▁Ab id jan . ▁They ▁had ▁lost ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁country , ▁and ▁re bel ▁forces ▁made ▁their ▁strong hold ▁in ▁the ▁northern ▁city ▁of ▁Bou ak é . ▁ ▁The ▁reb els ▁threatened ▁to ▁move ▁on ▁Ab id jan ▁again , ▁and ▁France ▁deployed ▁troops ▁from ▁its ▁base ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁to ▁stop ▁their ▁advance . ▁The ▁French ▁said ▁they ▁were ▁protect ing ▁their ▁own ▁citizens ▁from ▁danger , ▁but ▁their ▁deployment ▁also ▁helped ▁government ▁forces . ▁That ▁the ▁French ▁were ▁helping ▁either ▁side ▁was ▁not ▁established ▁as ▁a ▁fact ; ▁but ▁each ▁side ▁accused ▁the ▁French ▁of ▁supporting ▁the ▁opposite ▁side . ▁Whether ▁French ▁actions ▁improved ▁or ▁w ors ened ▁the ▁situation ▁in ▁the ▁long ▁term ▁is ▁disput ed