20110224
Xinhua
ABIDJAN, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- A dozen people were reportedly killed in the past 24 hours in clashes in Cote d'Ivoire's economic capital Abidjan as a top-level African panel ended mediation on Wednesday without a statement.

Security forces loyal to incumbent leader Laurent Gbagbo clashed again with supporters of his presidential rival Alassane Ouattara around the city's hotspot Abobo, the district widely seen as the stronghold of Ouattara's supporters.

A source close to Gbagbo's camp said at least 10 police officers were killed in the fight involving grenades and heavy machine guns.

Witnesses reported two civilians slain in the exchange of fire.

Earlier in the day, an adviser to Ouattara told media that commandos had killed forces loyal to Gbagbo.

There has been no official comment on the latest bloodshed, although fighting erupted frequently since the Nov. 28 presidential run-off.

Both Gbagbo and Ouattara claim the presidency, a standoff in which the international community including the United Nations and the African Union (AU) recognizes Ouattara as the president-elect.

In another development of the day, the AU panel of African presidents wrapped up its two-day mission to find a solution to the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire.

No official statement was published at the end of the mission, which is described by some observers as "the last chance" to find a way out.

During its stay in Abidjan, the panel met with Gbagbo, Ouattara, members of the Constitutional Council and officials of the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (ONUCI).

The AU peace-seeking team was composed of the presidents of Tanzania,Chad, Mauritania and South Africa. They agreed to convene their next meeting in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott in the coming days.

The AU and the West African bloc ECOWAS have sent several missions to Cote d'Ivoire to persuade Gbagbo to cede power to Ouattara, only to be rejected by the incumbent leader.

More than 300 people have been killed in the post-election violence with tens of thousands of refugees fleeing to neighboring Liberia and Guinea. The international community has imposed a series of sanctions on Gbagbo's regime.

Cote d'Ivoire remains divided since the 2002-2003 civil war with Gbagbo controlling the south including Abidjan and the ex- rebel New Forces now backing Ouattara taking the north. Since the election, Ouattara has been holed up in the Golf Hotel in Abidjan, where his supporters clash with security forces almost on a daily basis, especially in the past week.