AFRICAN leaders have backed an arms embargo and other immediate UN sanctions against Ivory Coast, isolating President Laurent Gbagbo’s hard-line government even further in its deadly confrontation with its former colonial ruler, France.

Airliners are shuttling hundreds of trapped foreigners out of the Ivory Coast this morning, as South Africa convened urgent peace talks on a crisis that it said threatened to destabilise West Africa.

FRANCE and the UN yesterday launched the evacuation of thousands of foreigners trapped for days by violent attacks targeting French civilians and troops in Ivory Coast.

France and the UN today launched the evacuation of thousands of foreigners trapped for days by violent attacks targeting French civilians and troops in Ivory Coast.

South African President Thabo Mbeki flew to Ivory Coast today to launch an African effort to reign in chaos after four days of mob and government confrontations with French troops that injured more than 600 people and killed at least 20.

FRENCH armoured vehicles took up positions near the home of Ivory Coast’s president yesterday, and thousands of his supporters marched on the site, fearing an attempt to oust him as France clamped down on violence in its former West African colony.

French armoured vehicles took up positions near Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo’s home today prompting thousands of his angry supporters, fearing an overthrow attempt, to march to the scene.

French tanks were taking up positions at the home of Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo today, and his supporters feared an attempt to overthrow him.

Hard-liners urged loyalist mobs on to more violence today, after a day of mayhem in which French and Ivory Coast forces battled in the air and on the ground and machete-waving throngs hunted down French citizens in the largest city.

THOUSANDS of Ivorian women — waving tree branches and singing, with their faces painted — surrounded the French Embassy yesterday to protest a French-brokered peace accord.

THE Ivory Coast’s fragile ceasefire crumbled yesterday as hundreds of loyalist troops rolled toward rebels behind a two-month uprising raising the spectre of all-out war in the divided West African nation.

Rebels battled government forces today for a city in Ivory Coast’s cocoa belt, despite a renewed drive by West African peace envoys trying to negotiate an end to the fighting.

Ivory Coast troops today claimed to have made major advances against rebels who grabbed half the country – even as the guerillas seized another town.

Top West African mediators were today travelling into the heart of Ivory Coast’s rebel-held territory to deliver a ceasefire offer from the government.

Rebel troops in Ivory Coast have seized more towns in a bloody military uprising that has so far cost the lives of around 270 people.

Ivory Coast forces have quelled a concerted coup attempt launched as the West African nation's president travelled abroad.

Ivory Coast’s interior minister was killed today during a military uprising in the West African country, an aide to President Laurent Gbagbo said in Rome, where the president was on a state visit.

Hours of sustained heavy gunfire and explosions boomed across Abidjan, commercial capital of the unrest-ridden West African nation of Ivory Coast today.