French and West African troops in Ivory Coast have won a mandate from the United Nations Security Council to use force in peacekeeping operations there. The Security Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to back the troops’ deployment with a review of the situation in six months’ time. Rebels in the divided West African state have reportedly launched the first attacks since signing a ceasefire with the Ivorian Government in France on 24 January. A rebel leader told the BBC that they would not give up the defence and interior ministry posts in a new power-sharing government which were reportedly promised them in France. The UN called for the full and immediate implementation of the peace agreement. Full Story