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Allies of
presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara urged Ivoriens to join a new
march through Abidjan to seize the state broadcaster’s building on
Friday, raising fears of more violence in a dispute over last month’s
election.

A failed attempt by
Mr. Ouattara’s camp to occupy the building on Thursday left at least 10
protesters dead as they clashed with security forces armed with live
rounds, while pro-Ouattara forces waged a brief gun battle with forces
loyal to incumbent Laurent Gbagbo in central Abidjan. The United
Nations, the US, African states and others have called on Mr. Gbagbo to
stand down after the November 28 poll they say was won by Mr. Ouattara,
but which Mr. Gbagbo insists was rigged by rebels who still hold the
north after a 2002-2003 civil war.

“We will continue
to march,” Mr. Ouattara’s spokesperson Patrick Achi said by telephone
after Thursday’s violence in the West African nation’s economic capital
heightened fears of a return to all-out conflict.

A Reuters
eyewitness said there were few early signs of protesters gathering on
the streets of Abidjan, which were much quieter than usual. Many shops
remained shut and there was little traffic in the streets.

The success of Mr.
Gbagbo’s forces in repelling the march on state TV and radio on
Thursday suggests he retains a strong grip on key parts of the armed
forces, including the presidential guard that witnesses said played a
major role in Thursday’s incidents.

Mr. Gbagbo’s
government spokesperson said at least 20 people were killed in
Thursday’s anti-Gbagbo street protests in Abidjan, 10 of them
demonstrators and 10 security forces. Mr. Ouattara’s rival government
said security forces had killed 14 protesters when they opened fire on
them. Mr. Gbagbo’s camp has alleged that some of the protesters were
armed, while Mr. Ouattara’s allies have cited the presence of armed
Liberian militias in Abidjan attacking demonstrators. Both sides deny
the allegations of the other camp.

Violence flared
elsewhere in the country on Thursday as pro-Ouattara rebels and
government forces exchanged fire for hours in Tiebissou, the central
town marking the line between the rebel-held north and government-held
south after the war.

“Both the
pro-Gbagbo FDS (security forces), and the pro-Ouattara former rebel New
Forces (FN), appear battle-ready, and it would take very little to
spark all-out confrontation,” said Rolake Akinola, Africa analyst for
VoxFrontier Consulting.

Fear of a
disruption to supplies in the world’s top cocoa grower pushed future
prices close to four-month highs reached last week. The key March cocoa
contract in New York rose $24 to end at $3,003 per tonne on Thursday.

All eyes will be on
the actions of the local U.N. peacekeeping force if the situation
deteriorates. The United Nations has about 10,000 soldiers and police
in the country. The force has a mandate to protect civilians but said
its job was not to protect the march. Separately, a top-level African
Union delegation is due in Abidjan on Friday to attempt discussions
with both sides on the crisis. However the continental body has said it
does not think a power-sharing deal similar to that reached by Kenya
after disputed 2007 elections would not be acceptable.