Lieutenant Laurent Boka Yapi, speaking on Ivorian radio from an undisclosed foreign location, also called on the rebels to rejoin government forces.

"I am your chief, I trained you, I wanted to give you a new life," he said. "Stop the fighting, join the loyalist forces and your demands will be taken into account."

Boka Yapi, who is hiding abroad to escape court-martial for desertion, was interviewed by a top defence ministry official.

According to a rebel spokesman in Ivory Coast's second city of Bouake, still held by the mutineers, the well-synchronised rebellion on September 19 was organised by Ivorian military forces in exile.

The rebel spokesman said the mutineers had no links with any politicians.

Several military personnel recruited by Guei, who took power in a military coup in December 1999, fled after his defeat by President Laurent Gbagbo in presidential polls in 2000.

Guei, his wife and his aide-de-camp were found dead after the uprising erupted in the west African country's main city of Abidjan last week.

The uprising, sparked by more than 700 soldiers demanding that their planned demobilisation in December be rescinded, has been termed a coup attempt by the government.

SPACE.WIRE