A court in eastern Liberia on Thursday ruled that 41 Ivorians would be extradited to Ivory Coast for their role in the country's 2011 post-election conflict.
"The petition of the government of Liberia is hereby granted by this court," Judge Sakaichiepo Wolo announced in the court in Zwedru, the capital of south-eastern Grand Gedeh county, which borders Ivory Coast.
The 41 accused were taken to the Zwedru central prison under heavy guard to await extradition.
"It is left now with the authorities of Ivory Coast to decide when these people should be extradited to their country where they will face trial," attorney John Gabriel told AFP after the verdict.
They were arrested on April 19 last year by United Nations forces as they attempted to cross the Liberian border with cars, guns and ammunition shortly after the capture of former Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo.
All 41 are Ivorian, contrary to earlier reports that some Liberians were among them.
Gbagbo's refusal to accept election defeat to current Ivorian leader Alassane Ouattara led to a four-month conflict in the country which claimed some 3,000 lives.
Gbagbo was captured on April 11, 2011 and has been in custody in The Hague since November on allegations of crimes against humanity.
Many of his supporters fled to neighbouring countries, including Liberia.
Three weeks ago 22 people, including seven UN peacekeepers from Niger, were killed in two separate attacks in western Ivory Coast which the country believes originated in Liberia.
Shortly before the attacks Human Rights Watch issued a report saying at least 40 people had been killed since July 2011 in raids from Liberia by diehard Gbagbo supporters.
Source: AFP Global Edition
