14 Killed in 'Militia' Attack in Ivory Coast

Suspected militiamen and Liberian mercenaries attacked a village in southwestern Ivory Coast, killing 14 people, a military source told Agence France Presse on Saturday.

The attack occurred early Friday in the village of Nigre near the Liberian border. The dead included 10 civilians, the source said, adding: "An army soldier died and three of the assailants were killed."

The incident took place in the Tai region, a tourist destination renowned for its lush tropical forests.

"The attackers were looking for food," the source said. "They were people who are hungry."

Ivory Coast, a former West African powerhouse, is slowly emerging from a bloody conflict following disputed presidential elections late last year which claimed at least 3,000 lives.