Residents barricaded themselves inside their homes, blanketing windows and pushing furniture against doors as Abidjan awaited the final battle between the two men who claim Ivory Coast’s presidency.

Fighters trying to install Ivory Coast’s democratically-elected president descended on its largest city and seat of power, poised for a final push to oust the entrenched ruler.

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.