{"id":368304,"date":"2011-04-05T03:04:39","date_gmt":"2011-04-05T03:04:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/04\/05\/key-site-taken-in-ivorian-city\/"},"modified":"2011-04-05T03:04:39","modified_gmt":"2011-04-05T03:04:39","slug":"key-site-taken-in-ivorian-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/05\/key-site-taken-in-ivorian-city\/","title":{"rendered":"Key site ‘taken’ in Ivorian city"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n 4 April 2011<\/span>
\nLast updated at <\/span>23:04 ET<\/span>
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Fighting in Ivory Coast’s main city, Abidjan, has taken a new turn with reports that entrenched ruler Laurent Gbagbo’s residence has been captured.<\/p>\n

Forces loyal to Alassane Ouattara, the country’s internationally recognised president, said they had taken the building after a day of fierce combat.<\/p>\n

A spokesman for Mr Ouattara, Patrick Achi, told the BBC it was not yet clear whether Mr Gbagbo had been inside. <\/p>\n

Earlier, UN and French helicopters attacked targets near the residence.<\/p>\n

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the attacks were ordered to defend civilians and were not a declaration of war on Mr Gbagbo. <\/p>\n

He said Mr Gbagbo’s forces had stepped up the use of mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine-guns against civilians. <\/p>\n

Millions of civilians have been trapped by five days of fighting in the city, where Mr Gbagbo is refusing to leave office despite UN-approved results saying Mr Ouattara won November’s presidential election.<\/p>\n

Forces loyal to Mr Ouattara began a dramatic military offensive last week, sweeping in from the north and west. <\/p>\n

‘Still looking’<\/span><\/p>\n

Patrick Achi, a spokesman for Mr Ouattara, said the recognised president’s forces were in control of the residence and searching for Mr Gbagbo. <\/p>\n

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Ivory Coast: Battle for power<\/h2>\n

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