As Gbagbo, cornered by rival forces, hunkered down at his home trying to negotiate an exit deal UN raised concerns over the country's 'dramatic' humanitarian situation.
The UN said dozens of people were reportedly killed over the past few days in Abidjan and that the humanitarian situation in the city was "dramatic".
Months of fighting have also seen up to a million people flee their homes in Abidjan and elsewhere, many of them into neighbouring countries, UN agencies have said, warning of a humanitarian disaster.
Gbagbo refuses to recognise Outtara as president
As negotiations continued to end a four-month post-election stand-off that has plunged the country into war, Gbagbo rejected the former colonial power's demand that he recognise his rival Alassane Ouattara as president.
"I do not recognise the victory of Ouattara," Gbagbo said in an interview with France's LCI news channel.
Negotiations were being held but Gbagbo had not surrendered, the French president's office said.
Fighting stopped on Tuesday afternoon, although the population of five million remained shut up at home, with only sporadic fire from armed roaming youths.
"Fighting has stopped but there is sporadic shooting by groups of youths who are not members of the FDS (Pro-Gbagbo army) or the Republican forces (of Alassane Ouattara)," UN mission spokesman Hamadoun Toure told AFP.
As reports of atrocities emerged from fighting in a west Ivorian town last week, the UN said it believed "several hundred" people were killed in massacres and one mass grave had almost 200 bodies.
The mass killings were in the town of Duekoue, seized by Ouattara's army last week in a lightning offensive across the country.
US re-issues travel warning
The United States issued a new Ivory Coast travel warning for its nationals saying the situation on the ground presented "real and present danger."
"Lawlessness, food shortages, and the banking crisis represent real and present danger to US citizens in a country where power is still in the process of changing hands," the department said in a renewed warning against travel to the West African nation.
"The Department of State continues to warn US citizens against traveling to Cote d'Ivoire. In early April conflict between loyalists and opponents of the internationally recognized President, Alassane Ouattara, escalated," its warning reads in part.
"Full transfer of power to President Ouattara may not be immediate. US citizens should watch the situation carefully and pay close attention to their personal security," the statement added.
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