Fighters backing internationally recognised Ivory Coast president Alassane Ouattara have seized control of San Pedro, the world's biggest cocoa exporting port, residents said.
They took over in the early hours of the morning after sweeping southwards from their strongholds in the north over the past week, seizing several other towns that had been in control of Laurent Gbagbo, who refuses to cede power.
"They have total control of the town since 4am," a resident in San Pedro said.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
"They launched an offensive between 10pm and 1am and afterwards they carried out searches. Currently they are patrolling the town on board 4x4's armed with Kalashnikovs and launch-rockets.
"They control the port, all the strategic sectors of the town," he added.
The pro-Ouattara fighters met with local government authorities, an official said.
"They came to pay a visit at the home of the prefect and assured us they were there for the security of the town," said the official from the prefecture.
Witnesses reported militia supporting Gbagbo had looted several businesses and burned a police station after stealing weapons.
Ivory Coast is the world's top cocoa producer and exporter, but the industry has been strangled by international sanctions trying to choke off Gbagbo's economic power and force him to step down from the presidency.
The noose tightened around the embattled strongman's regime as pro-Ouattara fighters seized the political capital Yamoussoukro.
From there, they pushed further south until they had entered San Pedro, which holds the world's largest cocoa exporting port.
Ouattara's camp, weary of four months' of fruitless diplomatic initiatives, declared all peaceful solutions "exhausted" as they launched their offensive.
