ABIDJAN - Forces backing Ivory Coastpresidential claimant Alassane Ouattara began a fresh assault to
remove Laurent Gbagbo from his last stronghold in Abidjan onMonday.As the conflict escalated, France ordered more troops intothe West African country to protect civilians.
A convoy of several dozen vehicles containing heavily armedpro-Ouattara troops and outfitted with mounted machine gunsentered Ivory Coast's main city at midday, the first elements ofa large force that had massed on the northern outskirts for whatthey called a "final assault", according to a Reuterseyewitness.
Heavy machine gun fire and a few explosions could be heardminutes after they entered the city limits.