The city has seen heavy fighting between supporters of disputed President Laurent Gbagbo and those of his rival, Alassane Ouattara.

Clashes have spread to new areas recently, raising fears of a return to civil war.

Scores of people have been killed in violence since presidential elections in November, which resulted in a political stalemate.

Mr Gbagbo refuses to step down, although Mr Outtara is widely recognised as the winner of the election.

On Monday, forces backing Mr Ouattara attacked suporters of Mr Gbagbo in Abidjan.

It marked the first instance of fighting in the pro-Gbagbo suburb of Yopougon and the pro-Ouattara area of Adjame since the stand-off began.

Fighting has also spread to the west, across a north-south ceasefire line in place since the end of the 2002-2003 war.

Meanwhile, Mr Ouattara said he was offering Mr Gbagbo a "last chance" to leave the presidency and end the country's political crisis.

Mr Ouattara has said he is willing to form a national unity government with Mr Gbagbo, as well as fuse the two rivals' armed forces and create a truth and reconciliation commission.

"It is time that he accepts the will of the Ivorian people and the African Union," Mr Ouattara said in an address to the nation on a television station he controls.

More than 370,000 have also fled their homes in Abidjan, following recent clashes in pro-Ouattara districts.

The election was supposed to reunite the country divided since the New Forces rebels seized the north in 2002.