US says it may evacuate Ivory Coast embassy

The United States has started planning for the possible evacuation of its embassy in Ivory Coast amid concerns that postelection violence could escalate into full-blown conflict, the State Department said Wednesday.

Spokesman Mark Toner said a small team of Pentagon officials is now in Abidjan to weigh the US options, including evacuating embassy personnel, and to assess the damage caused by an errant rocket-propelled grenade that hit the outer wall of the compound last week. (AP)