Attack on Gbagbo bunker in Ivory Coast repelled

ABIDJAN, (Reuters) – Forces loyal to Ivory Coast  presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara launched a heavy attack  today on the bunker where Laurent Gbagbo is holed up but  appeared to have been repelled, a Western military source said.
Fighting raged for a third straight day in the economic  capital Abidjan as Ouattara’s forces tried to unseat Gbagbo, who  has refused to cede power after losing a November election to  Ouattara, according to U.N.-certified results.
The source, who lives near Gbagbo’s heavily defended  residence in Abidjan, said fighting had died down in the  afternoon and Ouattara’s forces had regrouped.
“As I understand it, they tried to take Gbagbo residence  this morning. The assault failed,” said the source, speaking on  condition of anonimity.
“They could not break through the resistance from all the  heavy weapons still hidden around Gbagbo’s residence. They  pulled back to rethink and replan.”
A spokeswoman for Ouattara denied that his forces had  retreated but could not provide any details about the ongoing  assault and could not say whether fighting continued.
Residents had earlier reported gunfire from heavy weapons  around the residence, which is guarded by youth militias and  Gbagbo’s presidential guard.
“The fighting is terrible here, the explosions are so heavy  my building is shaking,” resident Alfred Kouassi told Reuters.   “We can hear automatic gunfire and also the thud of heavy  weapons. There’s shooting all over the place. Cars are speeding  in all directions and so are the fighters,” he said.
He could see French tanks in the street but did not know  whether they were taking part in the offensive.
The French military said their troops were not involved in  the attack, unlike earlier in the week when French and U.N.  helicopter airstrikes backed the rebels’ advance into Abidjan.