US pulls embassy staff amid Ivory Coast unrest

The United States says it was allowing non-emergency embassy staff and their families to leave Ivory Coast amid widening post-election violence in the African nation.

The US State Department "has authorised the departure of non-emergency personnel and all eligible family members of US embassy personnel," it said after warning US citizens against visiting the West African country.

The US embassy's consular section in Abidjan meanwhile "has temporarily curtailed all consular services except emergency services for US citizens," the statement said.

It added that tensions were high following "sporadic demonstrations, violence and deaths" and said it "cannot rule out anti-American sentiment."

Fierce clashes erupted in Abidjan and central Ivory Coast on Thursday, leaving at least 11 dead and many more hurt as the stand-off between two self-declared presidents spilled into the streets.

The State Department had earlier said its embassy was damaged by an "errant" rocket-propelled grenade during the fighting.

Supporters of Alassane Ouattara had intended to march on the headquarters of state television, held by his rival the incumbent Laurent Gbagbo, but fighting broke out when they were faced with heavily-armed security forces.

Both Ouattara and Gbagbo claim to have won last month's election, and both have declared themselves president, leading to a dangerous new stand-off in a country already divided since 2002 into northern and southern armed camps.

Ouattara has been recognised by the international community but has proved unable to assert his rule, with Gbagbo retaining control of the ministries, the army and the cocoa ports that are the key levers of state power.

The United States has also backed Ouattara, and a senior US official had earlier predicted that Gbagbo would bow to international pressure and hand over power in the coming days.

"He's got a decision to make and he's got a limited amount of time to make it," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

Ivory Coast has been split since 2002, when a failed putsch against Gbagbo sparked civil war, but there has been a truce since 2003.