[3] The Force also comprises a battalion of the French Army Light Aviation (BATALAT), a logistics battalion (BATLOG), squadrons of the Mobile Gendarmerie (militarised riot police), squadrons of the Gendarmerie prévôtale (military police), and a troop transport group from the French Air Force.

France, and later the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), sent large military contingents to separate the two sides.

The French authorities, who were supported by a UN resolution, alleged that this intervention avoided a civil war and widespread massacres.

In November of 2004, the French Army opened fire on Ivorian rioters, putting the Force Licorne in a delicate situation vis-à-vis the civilian population.

The suspicious death of an Ivorian in May 2005 caused the suspension, then the formal reprimand and transfer of the Division General Henri Poncet and of his Associate Operations General Renaud de Malaussène, as well as the suspension of Colonel Eric Burgaud, head of the 13th battalion of Chasseurs Alpins and a non-Commissioned Officer from this same battalion by the then Minister of Defense Michèle Alliot-Marie.

A WikiLeaks cable regarding Operation Licorne states: "the French are quite bitter about Cote d'Ivoire, once a crown jewel of France-Afrique, which spiraled into chaos after the death of one of France-Afrique's biggest advocates and beneficiaries, Houphouet-Boigny, reaching a nadir with the November 2004 bombing by Cote d'Ivoire of French forces in Bouake.

[15] The following day, United Nations and French forces carried out further air strikes against Gbagbo's remaining heavy weapons, using Mi-24 and Aérospatiale Gazelle attack helicopters.

The final assault was assisted by French forces using helicopters and armoured vehicles, although the actual capture was made by Ouattara's troops.

Gbagbo, his wife, sons and about 50 members of his entourage were captured unharmed and were taken to the Golf Hotel, Ouattara's headquarters, where they were placed under United Nations guard.