Guei in Ivory Coast but not Abidjan -- sources

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (Reuters) -- Ivory Coast's ousted military ruler, General Robert Guei, did not leave Ivory Coast after his overthrow and was initially reported at a village outside the main city Abidjan, diplomatic and administration sources said.

But the sources could not confirm his whereabouts on Thursday.

Guei was reported to have left a military airport in Abidjan by helicopter Wednesday morning. Some reports said he had gone to Benin, where his family was, or Liberia.

The sources said he had left Abidjan, possibly heading west, but that the helicopter ran out of fuel and was forced to land. They were unwilling to say precisely where this happened or whether he was still in the same locality Thursday.

Guei was forced to flee in the face of massive street protests Wednesday after he declared himself the winner of a presidential election.

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