Over 40 Ivorian ex-combatants arrested in Western region

Some suspected Ivorian combatants in the Ampen refugee camp in the Western Region have been arrested in a special swoop by operatives of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).

The over 40 suspects were picked up from their hideout in the refugee camp over the weekend and are being transferred to Accra for screening.

The suspects were arrested after intelligence picked up by the National Security that some pro-Gbagbo loyalists were planning to foment trouble in neighboring Ivory Coast.

The arrest comes days after a United Nations expert report indicted Ghana for habouring loyalists of Ivory Coast's former President Laurent Gbagbo who have established a base in Ghana from which they are working to destabilize the current Ivorian government.

Government had denied the report of the existence of such a camp for mercenaries.

Meanwhile, Interpol has handed over one suspected criminal to the Ivorian Authorities across the common border with Ghana.

This incident comes after Ivorian authorities closed their side of the border to travelers for close to two weeks following a shooting incident near the border.