Forces loyal to Alassane Ouattara, the internationally recognised president of Ivory Coast, have attacked the residence of incumbent leader Laurent Gbagbo.

Gbagbo ignored a fresh deadline to resign and remains holed up in his Abidjan home under the protection of the Presidential Guards

Ouattara’s supporters are closing on taking Abidjan and already control most of the country.

In the past two days, they have seized the political capital Yamoussoukro and the world’s biggest cocoa exporting port of San Pedro.

On Thursday evening, Ouattara’s camp announced a nightly curfew in Abidjan until Sunday evening and closed the country’s land, air and sea borders.

Gbagbo has refused cede power since a disputed November 28 election.

The United Nations and the international community recognise Ouattara as the rightful winner of that poll.