A/HRC/17/49 to the Government and pledged allegiance to President Ouattara. A significant number of Republican Guard soldiers melted into the population with their weapons, including heavy weapons, while militia elements, mercenaries and other pro-Gbagbo elements retreated to the Yopougon neighbourhood of Abidjan, where they held out and targeted the civilian population. The militias and mercenaries were finally dislodged on 4 May, following which they retreated to western Côte d’Ivoire, where they continued the pattern of targeting the civilian population. 8. The reporting period also saw infighting linked to disputes over power and responsibilities between the so-called “Commando Invisible”, an anti-Gbagbo armed group, and other pro-Ouattara forces. On 27 April, Ibrahim Coulibaly, Commander of the “Commando Invisible” was killed, reportedly during the fighting between elements of the “Commando Invisible” and the FRCI. He was considered to be one of the founders of the rebellion in Côte d'Ivoire. His family has reportedly requested an autopsy to confirm the exact circumstances surrounding his death. 9. The post-electoral crisis led to a serious deterioration of the socio-economic situation, partly due to the heavy fighting that paralyzed Abidjan for many days, forcing the population to stay at home with little food, water and medicine or to leave the city and find refuge in the countryside. This was exacerbated by the closure of some major banks after security forces stormed and occupied the offices of the Central Bank of West African States in Abidjan. The increase in prices of basic commodities and the civil disobedience campaign called for by the Rassemblement des houphouëtistes pour la démocratie et la paix (RHDP) and widely respected by major transporters limited supplies as well as the ability of a segment of the population to purchase foodstuffs. Education and health services were severely affected, with classes suspended in most areas in the north and regularly disrupted in some parts of the west because of clashes between rival student unions. 10. President Ouattara has announced the creation of a Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation Commission and appointed Charles Konan Banny, a former Prime Minister, as chairperson of the Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Some concerns have been expressed about the lack of consultation and the attempt to jump-start the process through swift appointment of the commissioners without clear terms of reference or a legal framework for the operation of the Commission. III. Deterioration of the human rights situation 11. The human rights situation deteriorated considerably in the period leading to the arrest of Mr. Gbagbo. There have been reports of excessive and indiscriminate use of force against civilians, extrajudicial and summary executions, enforced disappearances, torture, arbitrary arrest and detention, extortion, and sexual and gender-based violence, which have been investigated by the Human Rights division of UNOCI. The most important findings are presented in this report. A. The shooting deaths of seven women in Abobo 12. A typical example of the escalation of the human rights situation is the killing on 3 March of seven women in Abobo. Witnesses described how on 3 March, more than 3,000 women gathered at the Abobo Anador roundabout to start a demonstration with the intention of marching towards the railway station in order to demand the departure of President Laurent Gbagbo. In a peaceful and festive mood and as they waited to commence their procession, the women were singing, dancing and waving placards, among them, one calling on President Gbagbo to step down. According to reports, elements of the FDS, on 6