Paris began deploying some 450 troops to Ivory Coast earlier this week to back up 2,500 soldiers already enforcing a shaky ceasefire there, said Colonel Christian Baptiste, spokesman for the French armed forces.
Nearly 200 gendarmes were sent last week by France to protect its nationals living in the west African state, meaning it will have sent a total of some 650 more troops to Ivory Coast in a week's time.
"Given what we've seen in the last several days in Abidjan, we have deemed the situation to be a volatile one," Baptiste said, saying the troops' primary mission was to ensure the safety of French citizens in the country.
Some 16,000 French nationals live in Ivory Coast, primarily in Abidjan, the country's economic capital.
Paris has urged all those whose presence in the country is not essential to leave following a spate of violent anti-French protests against a peace deal aimed at ending nearly five months of war sparked by a rebel insurgency in September.
But French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie insisted that the troop build-up was not an indication that Paris would soon start evacuating its nationals.
"We will adapt based on the circumstances. What I can say today is that there is concern for our compatriots and other foreigners in Ivory Coast," Alliot-Marie told reporters.
"This reinforcement will show them the defense ministry is closely watching the situation," the minister added, noting that most of the extra troops would be stationed in Abidjan - Sapa-AFP
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