U.N. says carried out attack on Gbagbo weapons

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - French and U.N. helicopters attacked heavy weapons belonging to troops loyal to Ivory Coast's incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo, the U.N. mission's spokesman told Reuters.

"We are pursuing our operation to neutralise Gbagbo heavy weapons. We had to stop the operation for a couple of days to evaluate and have realised that there are still some heavy weapons that they had used against civilians and the U.N.," Hamadoun Toure said.

A Reuters correspondent at the French military base near the airport, about 15 kilometres from Gbagbo's residence said he could hear loud explosions coming from the direction of the fighting. He said four helicopters, two U.N. and two French helicopters were carrying out operations.

A resident of Cocody neighbourhood where the Gbagbo's residence is situated said he could see thick black smoke coming from the residence.

Forces loyal Gbagbo stepped up a counter-attack on presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara by firing on his hotel headquarters in Abidjan on Saturday. The hotel is guarded by U.N forces.

Lawyers for Ouattara in a letter to the French government and the international community on Sunday, asked French and U.N. forces to eliminate Gbagbo's heavy weapons and militia and bring him to justice.

(Writing by Bate Felix; Editing by Jon Boyle)

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