Forces loyal to self-declared Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo on Saturday attacked the hotel where Alassane Ouattara, the internationally recognized president of the country, is staying, a spokesman for the United Nations said.
U.N. forces in Abidjan fired back, said Hamadoun Toure, spokesman for the U.N. mission in the Ivory Coast.
"We stand ready to protect the Golf Hotel, as we have a mandate," he told CNN.
Toure added that Gbagbo loyalists continue to control three main areas -- the presidential palace, Gbagbo's residence and the state television station, RTI. He said the French military and U.N. forces are in charge of the Abidjan port.
Elsewhere on Saturday, French forces aborted a mission to evacuate diplomatic staff after drawing fire from forces loyal to Gbagbo, believed to have been all but defeated earlier in the week.
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The evacuation was deemed too risky for those involved, said French Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Thierry Burkhard, who declined to comment on the nationality or location of the diplomats.
The French ambassador's residence came under fire Friday, according to Frederic Daguillon, commander of French forces in Ivory Coast. He reported rocket-propelled grenades and two mortar shells landing on the residence.
He said the fire came from positions held by Gbagbo's men, who appeared to be regaining ground.
"French helicopters opened fire in self-defense, they returned fire in self-defense and destroyed an armored vehicle," Daguillon said.
Meanwhile, efforts were under way to restore some semblance of normalcy in Abidjan, Ivory Coast's largest city.
Commercial flights resumed at the Abidjan airport Saturday and the port was reopened, Burkhard said. Crews were concentrating on restoring water and electricity to residents who have gone without for days after forces loyal to Ouattara entered the city last week.
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