BBC news with David Legge
Talks are being going on in Abidjan, the main city of Ivory Coast, to try to secure the surrender of Laurent Gbagbo, who’s been refusing to give up the presidency since the election in November. Forces loyal to the man recognized by the United Nations is Ivory Coast’s news president, Alassane Ouattara, have surrounded the presidential compound. One of Mr. Ouattara’s commanders, Colonel Gausu condemned Mr. Gbagbo hesitating.
“After all these death, it’s only occurs him now to call for a ceasefire. After all these death, if Mr. Gbagbo is not leaving power, we will carry on. If he steps down today, we will stop and make the country secure.”
Our correspondent Andrew Harding says fears stricken civilians are still leaving Abidjan.
I’m in the suburbs of Abidjan, very empty, very quiet. There corpses, many corpses by the side of the road. Although the war doesn’t appear to be ending, the battle for Abidjan wrapping up now, there is still a mood of a great uncertainty. We’ve seen a lot soldiers loyal to Ouattara heading into the city center, saying they are not going to fight now, they are just going to secure the place, protect civilians. But the concern is of course, more than a different arm groups in the fear of brutalizes, perhaps even, massacres.
The Libyan rebel leader, Abdul Fattah Younus, says accuse NATO standing idly by, while forces loyal to Colonel Gaddafi continue killing people in the besieged western city of Misrata. General units said without NATO action, Misrata residents face extermination within a week. Early an oil tank arrived in the eastern Libyan port to broke to pick up the first consignment of oil to be exported from the rebel held region. Our correspondent, Jon Leyne says the shipment is considerable success to the rebels.