ivory coast election

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Ivory Coast presidential rival pushes crisis to a head
By Evelyne Aka (AFP) 4 hours ago

ABIDJAN Would-be Ivory Coast leader Alassane Ouattara stepped up his efforts to seize the levers of power on Tuesday, urging people to take to the streets to help him seize control of key government offices.

Ouattara has been recognised as winner of last month's election by the UN and the international community, but previous leader Laurent Gbagbo has also declared himself president and has kept command of the army and ministries.

There were signs Tuesday the dangerous two-week-old stand-off was coming to a head, with Ouattara's camp urging supporters to engage in "peaceful combat" to take charge of state television and the Abidjan seat of government.

In the central town of Tiebissou, pro-Gbagbo security forces fired tear gas to disperse a crowd of a few hundred Ouattara supporters who had crossed Ivory Coast's ceasefire line from the formerly rebel-held north, witnesses said.

Ivory Coast split between a mainly Muslim north and the mainly Christian south after a failed putsch against Gbagbo in 2002. The dispute between the northern and southern presidential candidates has revived tension.

In a statement issued from the hotel where Ouattara's shadow administration is holed up behind a cordon of UN armoured vehicles, his party urged citizens to march on state broadcaster RTI on Thursday and the cabinet on Friday.