Fighters loyal to presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara attacked the residence of incumbent Laurent Gbagbo in Abidjan early on Friday and seized control of Ivory Coast's state television, a Ouattara spokesman said.

A military source in Gbagbo's camp confirmed the attack on Gbagbo's residence but said that pro-Gbagbo forces were still putting up resistance at state broadcaster, RTI. Residents in the area confirmed heavy fighting.

Fighters enter Abidjan
Loyalists of the internationally recognised president entered the city on Thursday after a swift offensive south aimed at ousting Gbagbo, who has refused to cede power since a Nov. 28 election that U.N.-certified results showed he lost.

Fighting between the rival factions raged for hours on Thursday and heavy weapons fire rang out in the centre of the commercial capital of the world's top cocoa producer.

"His house is under attack. That's for sure. There is a resistance, but it's under attack," Ouattara spokesman Patrick Achi told Reuters.

"Gbagbo hasn't shown any signs of giving up. I don't think he will see the game is up, because he really believes God will save him ... Gbagbo is in his house. I'm certain. He hasn't gone anywhere," he added.

A military source in Gbagbo's camp confirmed the attack, adding that Gbagbo's bodyguards were fighting back.

State broadcaster is taken
Residents across the city said the state broadcaster stopped transmitting at 2245 GMT on Thursday after repeatedly showing images of Gbagbo and his close entourage. Gbagbo has been due to speak on state media for days.

"(State broadcaster) RTI is taken, it's off air. It is under control," Achi said, adding a statement would be made later.

The military source, who asked not to be named, confirmed that the gendarmerie had abandoned their positions but said pro-Gbagbo Republican Guard and armed students were still fighting to defend the state broadcaster early on Friday.

The state television building is close to Gbagbo's residence in the leafy neighbourhood of Cocody.

UN in control
U.N. troops were in control of Abidjan airport after Gbagbo forces abandoned it, a security source and U.N. sources said.

An internal U.N. report, seen by Reuters, also said pro-Gbagbo forces had abandoned a blockade of a hotel
Ouattara had been restricted to. It also said peacekeepers had exchanged fire with Gbagbo loyalists in several parts of the city.

The U.S. government said Gbagbo had been "significantly" weakened by defections and the disintegration of his forces and Ouattara called on the remaining Gbago loyalists to give up.

He also announced a three-day overnight curfew and ordered the closure of land, air and sea borders, an Interior Ministry statement said. There were widespread reports of looting.

International sanctions
Gbagbo has resisted pressure from the African Union and the West to step down since the November poll, and has been the target of sanctions by the United States, the European Union and the United Nations.

The United Nations reiterated calls for Gbagbo to step down and Washington called on all sides to exercise restraint.

At least 494 people have been confirmed killed since the standoff began, according to the United Nations, but, given the scale of fighting, the real figure is likely to be much higher.

source: Reuters