The mutineers, mostly ex-Forces Nouvelles de Côte d'Ivoire rebels who had been integrated into the armed forces in 2011, were motivated by grievances about their pay and living conditions.

The revolt began around 2 a.m. on 6 January,[9] when demobilised soldiers in Bouake, who demanded higher salaries and the payment of bonuses, seized weapons and ammunition at the local military base and police stations.

UN peacekeepers were deployed throughout the country to keep the situation from escalating,[1] while defence minister Alain-Richard Donwahi said he would negotiate with the rebels at Bouaké on the next day.

[3] The outbreak of mutinies was also related to the power games at the head of the state: Guillaume Soro, the former spokesman of the rebellion, had just lost his position of second-to-the president man.

[8] By the next day, the revolt had spread to nine cities: Bouaké, Abidjan, Odienné, Korhogo, Man, Daloa, Toulépleu, Abobo, and Daoukro.

[12] Donwahi, along with Lt-Col Issiaka Ouattara, deputy commander of the loyalist Republican Guard, went to Bouaké in the early afternoon to negotiate with the rebelling soldiers.

President Alassane Ouattara then went on to say on national television that an agreement had been reached, though criticized the soldiers for their actions: "I would like to say that this manner of making demands is not appropriate.

[18] The mutiny reduced investor confidence in the "Ivorian miracle", the economic prosperity that Ivory Coast displayed after the end of the Civil War.