AU condemns Ivory Coast air raids

There are fears the latest violence could reignite the civil war

The African Union has condemned the government of Ivory Coast for mounting air strikes on rebel areas in the north and urged both sides to cease firing.

Olusegun Obasanjo, the Nigerian leader who chairs the AU, voiced deep concern at the bombing, saying it contravened accords on ending the civil war.

A rebel town came under attack for the third day running as Mr Obasanjo held talks in Otta, south-west Nigeria.

The violence marks the first major unrest since last year's peace deal.

Two planes dropped bombs on the rebel stronghold of Bouake at about 1300 GMT on Saturday, a UN official in the town told Reuters news agency by telephone.

Reports also spoke of machine-gun fire and mortar bombardment around the town, but it is unclear where the fire has been coming from.

The BBC's Anna Borzello reports from Nigeria that it was originally thought the Ivorian government and rebels might attend the talks in Otta, hastily convened by Mr Obasanjo.

In the event, it turned out to be a brief consultation between high-level officials from the AU and the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas).

Stronger mandate

President Obasanjo called on the UN to strengthen its mandate in the country, so that its troops could better deal with truce violations.

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Only the UN's Security Council has the authority to increase the powers of the peacekeepers.

The new violence went against "the process of national reconciliation", the Nigerian leader added in a press statement, issued after talks with colleagues including AU head Alpha Oumar Konare.

Both the AU and Ecowas urged all parties in the conflict to halt all hostilities and promised to set up a "high-powered committee to address the political issues involved in the conflict".

UN officials in Ivory Coast said earlier that 18 people, most of them civilians, had been killed in the bombing attacks.

UN peacekeepers intervened on Friday to stop two convoys of government troops moving north. There are fears that the air strikes may be preparation for a government ground attack.

BBC world affairs correspondent Paul Welsh says stopping government aircraft attacks is difficult, because even if the peacekeepers had the authority to shoot them out of the sky, it would be likely to cause violent demonstrations by those fiercely loyal to the president.

The country has been split in two since last year's peace deal, with 10,000 French and UN troops deployed to monitor the ceasefire.

Last week, the rebels, known as the New Forces, withdrew their ministers from the unity government, accusing the army of preparing to return to war.

Street protests

Government aircraft bombed Bouake three times on Thursday alone and also attacked Korhogo, 225km (140 miles) to the north. Fresh strikes followed on Friday.

Demonstrators took to the streets of the economic capital, Abidjan, setting fire to buildings housing opposition parties and newspapers accused of colluding with the rebels.

Much of the violence in the city has been blamed on the Young Patriots, a group which supports President Laurent Gbagbo.

Ground battles also took place between government and former rebel forces in the central town of Raviar, in the UN-patrolled buffer zone which splits the country, the UN said.

The New Forces rebels have said they will act if government forces cross the UN buffer zone.

Government officials have not confirmed the air strikes.