Ivorian opposition deny coup

At least 10 died in the failed coup attempt

The party of the Ivory Coast opposition leader Alassane Ouattara, the Rally of Republicans (RDR), has denied any involvement in the coup attempt on Sunday.

In a statement, it said it hoped there would be an impartial investigation.

Correspondents say there have been thinly veiled accusations from the government that the RDR was behind the coup attempt, which was quashed by forces loyal to newly elected President Laurent Gbagbo.

At least 10 people were killed and 31 arrested.

Alassane Ouattara: Barred from elections

"We are in no way involved with what happened," RDR spokesman Ali Keita said.

Mr Ouattara was barred from standing in October's presidential election, and his party is boycotting parliamentary by-elections in the mainly Muslim north on Sunday.

Curfew

A curfew is in force in the main city, Abidjan, and correspondents say the atmosphere remains tense.

Troubled times

Dec 1999 - Coup by General Guei

Mar, July 2000 - Failed mutinies

Sep 2000 - Attack on Guei's home

Oct 2000 - Elections, Guei ousted after uprising

Dec 2000 - Unrest, boycott of polls

Foreign traders were attacked on Tuesday, just a day after the government accused neighbouring countries of being behind the coup attempt.

A BBC correspondent in Abidjan says the violence was apparently triggered by speeches made at a popular meeting point in the city that sparked anger against foreigners.

She says the attacks targetted mainly traders from Guinea, but that Senegalese and Nigerian shops were also looted.

There are tensions between southerners and northerners

A curfew is to remain in place for one more night.

Mr Ouattara's exclusion from elections because of doubts over his nationality prompted ethnic and political violence in which about 200 people are estimated to have died.

Many of those killed were from the north or from neighbouring countries.

Ivory Coast has been in political chaos since the December 1999 coup by General Robert Guei.

General Guei was ousted after elections in October, but there has been speculation that he might try to stage a comeback.