Ivory Coast: Fighting rages,800 dead in one town

Gunbattle and the sounds of heavy weapons fire rang out across Ivory Coasts main city Abidjan as the countrys former rebels pressed an offensive to oust Gbagbo

Soldiers backing Alassane Ouattara,who is internationally recognised as winner of a November election,met with stiff resistance from incumbent leader Laurent Gbagbos fighters in Abidjan on Saturday.

In a sign of how bloody the conflict has become,the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Saturday at least 800 people were killed in inter-communal violence in the western Ivorian town of Duekoue this week.

Gunbattle and the sounds of heavy weapons fire rang out across Ivory Coasts main city Abidjan as the countrys former rebels pressed an offensive to oust Gbagbo.

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Pro-Ouatarra fighters met with resistance from Gbagbo fighters around strategic locations like the Presidential Palace,the state broadcaster RTI,and key military bases.

Residents said they heard loud explosions near the Agban base,the citys largest,in the Adjame neighbourhood near Cocody where Gbagbo has his official residence.

Mortar fire has been heard since last night around the gendarmerie. It is very loud and were taking shelter in our homes, said a man who lives nearby. The gendarmes from the camp are fighting the insurgents, said another resident,Adi Saba.

A gunbattle also raged on into its third day for control of pro-Gbagbo state broadcaster RTI,which came back on air late on Friday,broadcasting pro-Gbagbo rallies and file footage of his swearing in ceremony.

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An RTI employee said the broadcaster building had been retaken overnight by pro-Ouattara forces,but an official in Gbagbos army denied it,saying it was firmly in the hands of the army.