20110325
Reuters

GENEVA (Reuters) - Up to one million Ivorians have now fled fighting in the main city Abidjan alone, with others uprooted across the country, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said on Friday as violence escalated in a 4-month power struggle.

Hours ahead of a U.N. Security Council debate, France announced it had submitted a draft U.N. resolution banning the use of heavy weapons in Abidjan. The United Nations has accused forces loyal to incumbent Laurent Gbagbo of such attacks, which his camp strenuously denies.

"The massive displacement in Abidjan and elsewhere is being fuelled by fears of all-out war," UNHCR spokeswoman Melissa Fleming told a news briefing in Geneva.

"Available estimates are that between 700,000 and one million could now be displaced," Fleming told reporters.

Ivory Coast has descended to the verge of civil war following a disputed election in November last year which Alassane Ouattara is recognised internationally to have won. Gbagbo has refused to step down, saying the results were rigged.

The violent stand-off has led to 462 confirmed deaths.

The U.N. agency said those leaving were mainly residents from the districts of Abobo, Adjamame, Williamsville and Yopougon, some of the most populated areas of Abidjan, a city of more than 4 million inhabitants.

"Families fleeing areas of conflict have told UNHCR monitors that they are afraid of being caught in the fire and killed by stray bullets," Fleming added.