"There is heavy arms fighting in the area of Gbagbo's residence," in the upmarket Cocody district in northern Abidjan, said one resident. Since 10:00 pm (2200 GMT) "the gunfire has been intense and they're shooting in four or five directions at a time.
There's a lot of people," he added. Two other residents confirmed the firefights in the district. A statement issued by the government of internationally recognised leader Alassane Ouattara said earlier that Ivory Coast's land, sea and air borders had been closed until further notice. Ouattara's interior minister Hamed Bakayoko called on Ivorians to "strictly respect" the order.
Ouattara's government, which now controls most of the country after an offensive against rival Gbagbo, decreed a nightly curfew from 2100 GMT to 0600 GMT in Abidjan through Sunday. Fear descended on Abidjan Thursday amid sporadic bursts of automatic weapons fire, helicopters circling, barricades dotting the city and looters rampaging in some areas.