US forces join French troops in Ivory Coast
US troops have landed in West Africa to help French forces protect westerners in the former colony.
The US soldiers have been told to make 100 trapped American school children their priority.
French troops have moved closer to Bouake to rescue their nationals and other Westerners.
There are fears they could be caught in cross fire between government troops and renegade forces who launched the coup attempt on Thursday.
"This is a very welcome development," said a relieved James Forlines, director of Free Will Baptist Foreign Missions. The Nashville, Tennessee-based church group had sent calls for help for the mission boarding school in the cut-off city after rebels scaled the walls Tuesday, firing from its grounds.
"It has been a very trying day. It has been a very trying five days," mission official Neil Gilliland said, speaking from the US.
The first of what are expected to be four US military planes for any rescue landed at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra, capital of neighbouring Ghana.
Authorities gave no immediate details on the arrival, but Ghana's Foreign Ministry said it expects three C-130 cargo planes among the four, bringing troops and equipment.
The scrambling to safeguard Westerners in the Ivory Coast came amid fresh clashes after the failed coup, which has left rebels holding two cities. At least 270 people have been killed and thousands displaced so far.
