Violence Continues to Escalate in Ivory Coast

Online, March 4, 2011 (Newswire.com) - ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, (UPI) -- Violence is escalating in Ivory Coast where parts of the main city of Abidjan resembles a "war zone," an official with the U.N. refugee agency said.

Clashes between supporters of incumbent President Lauren Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara have become frequent and violent, the BBC reported.

Ouattara was elected president in November, but Gbagbo has refused to cede power, citing election fraud. Most of the world, including the European Union, recognizes Ouattara as the African nation's president.

"The situation is deteriorating rapidly," said Jacques Franquin, the U.N. refugee agency head in Ivory Coast.

In violence Thursday, security forces shot and killed at least six women marching in support of Ouattara in Abidjan's northern Abobo neighborhood.

"We are overstretched in terms of patrolling," U.N. spokesman Hamadoun Toure said. "We conducted over 865 patrols last week. You can't be in every corner of the city."

The United Nations said some 200,000 people have fled the area.

"Certain parts of Abidjan are truly in a situation of war with the population fleeing," Franquin said. "The situation is making it impossible to reach people who are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance."