Operation Autumn Return
Encyclopedia
Operation Autumn Return was a non-combatant evacuation operation
of the United States armed forces
conducted from September 24 to October 4, 2002, in Côte d'Ivoire
.
A coup d'état
against President Henri Konan Bédié
on Christmas Eve
1999 led to the installation of military junta
leader General Robert Guéï
as president. Guéï lost the presidency in October 2000 elections to Laurent Gbagbo
of the Ivorian Popular Front
. Guéï refused to relinquish power, leading to street protests and Guéï's flight to Gouessesso
near the border with Liberia
n. Guéï retained some political power and was included in a reconciliation forum in 2001, in which he agreed to refrain from undemocratic methods. Guéï withdrew from the forum agreement in September 2002 and on September 19, 2002, the Ivorian Civil War began. Guéï, his wife, and several members of his family, as well as interior minister Émile Boga Doudou
, were killed under unclear circumstances that day.
The ensuing crisis threatened the safety of hundreds of foreign nations, including U.S. citizens
. The Ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire
, Arlene Render, requested an evacuation
of American citizens. From September 24 to October 4, 2002, United States European Command
(USEUCOM) directed the evacuation of over 300 U.S. and third-party citizens. This was done mainly by U.S. special forces
units, including the 352d Special Operations Group
.
On September 24, about 200 U.S. troops were deployed from Germany. Several C-130 Hercules
transport aircraft
also landed at Yamoussoukro.
One notable evacuation occurred at the International Christian Academy at Bouaké
, a Christian
boarding school
attended mainly by children of American missionaries
. After rebel and government forces exchanged heavy gunfire
and mortar
shelling in the vicinity of the school, French Armed Forces troops - having earlier secured an airport about 40 miles away from the school - secured the school and escorted about 160 children (including 101 Americans ages 6 to 18), as well as 39 other people (including staff and their children, including some infants) 60 miles south to the capital of Yamoussoukro
via a convoy
of cars, trucks, and minibus
es and traveled to Yamoussoukro. The refugees arrived safely late September 25 at a reception center in Yamoussoukro that officials at the U.S. embassy (based at Abidjan
, the county's administrative center) has set up.
U.S. troops stationed at Ghana
and Germany, as well as n Wednesday morning from neighboring Ghana
. http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/africa/09/25/ivory.coast/index.html
Non-combatant Evacuation Operation
A non-combatant evacuation operation or NEO is an operation conducted to evacuate civilians from another country, generally due to a deteriorating security situation.-United States:...
of the United States armed forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
conducted from September 24 to October 4, 2002, in Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
.
A coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
against President Henri Konan Bédié
Henri Konan Bédié
Aimé Henri Konan Bédié is an Ivorian politician. He was President of Côte d'Ivoire from 1993 to 1999, and he is currently the President of the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire - African Democratic Rally .-Biography:...
on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
1999 led to the installation of military junta
Military junta
A junta or military junta is a government led by a committee of military leaders. The term derives from the Spanish language junta meaning committee, specifically a board of directors...
leader General Robert Guéï
Robert Guéï
Robert Guéï was the military ruler of the Côte d'Ivoire from December 24, 1999 to October 26, 2000.Guéï was born in Kabakouma, a village in the western Man region, and was a member of the Yakouba tribe. He was a career soldier: under the French administration, he was trained at the Ouagadougou...
as president. Guéï lost the presidency in October 2000 elections to Laurent Gbagbo
Laurent Gbagbo
Laurent Koudou Gbagbo served as the fourth President of Côte d'Ivoire from 2000 until his arrest in April 2011. A historian by profession, he is also an amateur chemist and physicist....
of the Ivorian Popular Front
Ivorian Popular Front
The Ivorian Popular Front , known by its French initials FPI, is a centre-left, democratic socialist and social democratic, political party in Côte d'Ivoire....
. Guéï refused to relinquish power, leading to street protests and Guéï's flight to Gouessesso
Gouessesso
Gouessesso is a village of the Department of Biankouma, Dix-Huit Montagnes Region, Côte d'Ivoire, near the Liberian border.- References :*...
near the border with Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
n. Guéï retained some political power and was included in a reconciliation forum in 2001, in which he agreed to refrain from undemocratic methods. Guéï withdrew from the forum agreement in September 2002 and on September 19, 2002, the Ivorian Civil War began. Guéï, his wife, and several members of his family, as well as interior minister Émile Boga Doudou
Émile Boga Doudou
Émile Boga Doudou was an Ivorian politician who served as Minister of State for the Interior and Decentralization from 2000 to 2002. He was killed in the failed coup attempt that marked the start of the Ivorian Civil War....
, were killed under unclear circumstances that day.
The ensuing crisis threatened the safety of hundreds of foreign nations, including U.S. citizens
Citizenship in the United States
Citizenship in the United States is a status given to individuals that entails specific rights, duties, privileges, and benefits between the United States and the individual...
. The Ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire
United States Ambassador to Ivory Coast
This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to Côte d'Ivoire, formerly known as Ivory Coast.*August 1960-Oct-1960 Donald L. Norland *20-November 1960-12-May 1962 R. Borden Reams...
, Arlene Render, requested an evacuation
Emergency evacuation
Emergency evacuation is the immediate and rapid movement of people away from the threat or actual occurrence of a hazard. Examples range from the small scale evacuation of a building due to a bomb threat or fire to the large scale evacuation of a district because of a flood, bombardment or...
of American citizens. From September 24 to October 4, 2002, United States European Command
United States European Command
The United States European Command is one of ten Unified Combatant Commands of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its area of focus covers and 51 countries and territories, including Europe, Russia, Iceland, Greenland, and Israel...
(USEUCOM) directed the evacuation of over 300 U.S. and third-party citizens. This was done mainly by U.S. special forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
units, including the 352d Special Operations Group
352d Special Operations Group
The 352d Special Operations Group is an operational unit of the United States Air Force Special Operations Command. It is stationed at RAF Mildenhall, England. Its heritage dates back to 1944 as an air command unit....
.
On September 24, about 200 U.S. troops were deployed from Germany. Several C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
transport aircraft
Military transport aircraft
Military transport aircraft are typically fixed and rotary wing cargo aircraft which are used to deliver troops, weapons and other military equipment by a variety of methods to any area of military operations around the surface of the planet, usually outside of the commercial flight routes in...
also landed at Yamoussoukro.
One notable evacuation occurred at the International Christian Academy at Bouaké
Bouaké
Bouaké is the second largest city in Côte d'Ivoire, with a population of 775,300 . It is the main urban settlement of the Bouaké Department with a population exceeding 1.2 million, in the Vallée du Bandama Region...
, a Christian
Christian school
A Christian school is a school run on Christian principles or by a Christian organization.The nature of Christian schools varies enormously from country to country, according to the religious, educational, and political cultures...
boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
attended mainly by children of American missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
. After rebel and government forces exchanged heavy gunfire
Gunfire
Gunfire can refer to:* Gunshot, the discharge of a firearm* Gunfire , a DC comic book superhero* Gunfire , a 1934 Western starring Rex Bell* Gunfire , a 1950 Western starring Don "Red" Barry...
and mortar
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
shelling in the vicinity of the school, French Armed Forces troops - having earlier secured an airport about 40 miles away from the school - secured the school and escorted about 160 children (including 101 Americans ages 6 to 18), as well as 39 other people (including staff and their children, including some infants) 60 miles south to the capital of Yamoussoukro
Yamoussoukro
The District of Yamoussoukro is the official political capital and administrative capital city of Côte d'Ivoire, while the economic capital of the country is Abidjan. As of 2010, it was estimated to have 242,744 inhabitants...
via a convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
of cars, trucks, and minibus
Minibus
A minibus or minicoach is a passenger carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is used to describe any full-sized passenger carrying van. Minibuses have a...
es and traveled to Yamoussoukro. The refugees arrived safely late September 25 at a reception center in Yamoussoukro that officials at the U.S. embassy (based at Abidjan
Abidjan
Abidjan is the economic and former official capital of Côte d'Ivoire, while the current capital is Yamoussoukro. it was the largest city in the nation and the third-largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris, and Kinshasa but before Montreal...
, the county's administrative center) has set up.
U.S. troops stationed at Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
and Germany, as well as n Wednesday morning from neighboring Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
. http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/africa/09/25/ivory.coast/index.html