Fighting breaks out in Ivory Coast

Fighting broke out early Thursday in western Ivory Coast between troops loyal to outgoing president Laurent Gbagbo and former rebels who support his rival, Alassane Ouattara, a military source said.

An officer of the Defence and Security Forces, loyal to Gbagbo, told AFP that the fighting took place at Zouan-Hounien, near the Liberian border, after an FDS post was attacked by former rebels of the New Forces (FN).

The FDS in coming hours expected "major reinforcements," from Doukoue to the southeast, the officer said, without giving any details of casualties.

An FN official in their central stronghold of Bouake confirmed that there had been fighting on the western front, but blamed the FDS for attacking. He said that "80 FDS" had been killed, a figure which could not immediately be confirmed.