New Forces are now in complete control of the West and the North. They are poised to take the entire south as well.
Ivory Coast Rebels Take Over Fourth Town
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Alassane Ouattara arrives for a meeting on Ivory Coast at the African Union Commission headquarters in Addis Ababa, Thursday March 10, 2011
Rebels allied with Ivory Coast's internationally recognized president, Alassane Ouattara, have taken control of another western town from troops loyal to incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo.
Spokesmen from both sides say New Forces fighters seized control of the town of Doke from troops backing Mr. Gbagbo, who refuses to give up power after losing November's presidential election.
The rebels say they now control four towns in western Ivory Coast.
Mr. Ouattara returned to Ivory Coast late Saturday from an African Union peace conference in Ethiopia, ignoring Gbagbo's vow that he would not be let back into the country if he left.
The AU has joined the United Nations and most other countries in recognizing Mr. Ouattara as the winner of November's election. Mr. Gbagbo insists he won.
A top Gbagbo advisor called the AU's recognition of an Ouattara presidency unacceptable.
The U.N. says post-election violence in Ivory Coast has killed at least 365 people.
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