French targeted by Ivory Coast mob

MACHETE-waving mobs looted and burned in Ivory Coast’s largest cities yesterday.

They were laying siege to a French military base and searching house to house for French families after the former colonial power was accused of “aggression” against government forces.

France’s military sent helicopters to pluck trapped expatriates from buildings as other helicopters and armoured vehicles moved out to confront the mobs, lobbing volleys of tear gas and percussion grenades that sent rioters fleeing.