United Nations and French forces closed in on Ivory Coast's presidential palace early today after launching full assaults on the residence of the entrenched leader, the republican guard, two major military bases and state TV.Fighters aiming to topple strongman Laurent Gbagbo had succeeded in taking nearly the entire countryside in just three days last week, but they faltered once they reached the country's largest city, Abidjan, where the presidential palace and residence are located.
With the help of international forces, the armed group fighting to install the country's democratically elected leader Alassane Ouattara pushed their way to the heart of the city to reach Mr Gbagbo's home.
They have surrounded it, and as of early today they were waiting for him to step down, said a close adviser to Mr Ouattara.
Yesterday's offensive included air attacks on the ruler's home and on three strategic military garrisons and marked an unprecedented escalation in the international community's efforts to oust Mr Gbagbo, who lost the presidential election in November yet has refused to cede power to Mr Ouattara even as the world's largest cocoa producer teetered on the brink of all-out civil war.
A senior diplomat who could not be named because of the sensitivity of the matter said he had a map with blue stickers marking the six strategic points that needed to be taken out, and that five of the six had been hit by early today.
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