document: Ivory Coast : Fighting rages near president 's palace Heavy fighting is raging near Ivory Coast 's presidential palace and mansion , as armed forces loyal to the elected leader closed in on the strongman who has held on to power in defiance of the results of elections held in November . Alassane Ouattara , who won November 's UN-supervised election , also ordered the country 's borders closed in an attempt to prevent strongman Laurent Gbagbo and his allies from fleeing . Residents of Abidjan locked up in their homes reported barrages of heavy arms fire punctuated by detonations throughout the night . On the peninsula where the presidential palace is situated , buildings were shaking with each explosion , witnesses said . Patrick Achi , a spokesman for Mr Ouattara , said the fighters had breached the city limit overnight and were waging battles at the palace and the residence . Mr Achi said the forces , who are former rebels who fought in a civil war a decade ago that left Ivory Coast divided , had seized Radio Television Ivoirienne , the government-owned broadcaster . Choi Young-jin , the top United Nations envoy in Ivory Coast , told French radio on Thursday that as many as 50,000 soldiers , police and members of the security force have abandoned Mr Gbagbo in recent days . Sanctions imposed on Mr Gabagbo and his inner circle failed to dislodge the strongman , but analysts say the armed offensive will force the regime out within days . '' `` It 's over -- except for the shooting , '' '' said a diplomat stationed in the city . A Swedish woman working for the United Nations was killed by a stray bullet during the fighting in Abidjan on Thursday night , the Foreign Ministry in Stockholm confirmed . Some 500 foreigners have sought refuge at a French military base . Since the election , up to 1 million people have fled the fighting and at least 494 people have been killed , most of them Ouattara supporters .
extractive_keyphrases: united nations heavy arms fire fighters killed breached security force elected leader governmentowned broadcaster city limit overnight prevent strongman laurent gbagbo inner circle failed 494 people abandoned mr gbagbo members armed forces loyal ordered strongman buildings million people sought refuge dislodge fled locked french military base their homes alassane ouattara 500 foreigners told french radio residents each explosion stray bullet fighting recent days shaking swedish woman regime out within days seized radio television ivoirienne said mansion sanctions imposed allies from fleeing armed offensive will force attempt mr gabagbo on the peninsula held on to power in defiance spokesman patrick achi
abstractive_keyphrases: heavy fighting is raging near ivory coast's presidential palace ivory coast fighting rages near president's palace 50000 soldiers police country's borders closed explosion fighting rages near president's palace won november's unsupervised election near ivory coast's presidential palace strongman but analysts say prevent laurent gbagbo buildings were shaking with armed forces sought refuge at fighters had breached heavy fighting