Brian Hamish Sands died on 5 April, in the custody of the armed opposition group Forces Nouvelles (FN), New Forces, who control the northern part of Côte d’Ivoire. They had arrested him on 11 March as a suspected mercenary. The 35 alleged militiamen who were also arrested in March were transferred on the same day to Korhogo, where they are allegedly still held incommunicado.