UN report: Allies of Ivory Coast's ex-president reached out to Islamists in northern Mali

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast – A new report from U.N. experts accuses exiled allies of Ivory Coast's former president of trying to recruit Islamist rebels who took control of the northern half of neighboring Mali in a campaign to destabilize the volatile West African region.

A U.N. diplomat and a Western official familiar with the report said Monday the experts also accuse supporters of ex-President Laurent Gbagbo of trying to recruit Mali's military junta, which controls the other half of the country, to the destabilization campaign.

The two officials also say the report describes how three groups of Gbagbo allies have agreed to join forces in a bid to seize power from Ivory Coast's current president, Alassane Ouattara.

The diplomat and official spoke on condition of anonymity because the report has not been made public.