Abidjan - Mortar rounds and one rocket were fired at the residence of the French ambassador in Ivory Coast on Friday by forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo, the French embassy said.
“On April 8, at 4pm (1600 GMT) the residence...was targeted by two mortar rounds and a rocket coming from the positions of FDS members still loyal to Mr Gbagbo,” it said in a statement.
It did not mention any casualties or damage, adding that it was the second attack on the French ambassador's home in the commercial capital Abidjan in less than 48 hours.
It said the UN force in the West African country could use its mandate “to prevent the use of heavy weapons from all sides in the conflict”.
A spokesman for Gbagbo denied that the French ambassador's residence had been attacked.
“The Ivory Coast government believes France is looking for a pretext to resume bombings on the presidential palace,” Toussaint Alain told Reuters in Paris. “If there are attacks on the embassy, it's not Gbagbo's forces. Nobody has been attacked.”
Gbagbo is holed up in his own private residence nearby and has refused to cede power to Alassane Ouattara, who won a November presidential election according to UN certified results. - Reuters