ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Rebel forces who support Ivory Coast's peace process prepared a counter-offensive on Sunday to take back control of two towns in the western cocoa belt occupied by followers of a sacked rebel chief, a spokesman said.
A local television journalist said three civilians and onedissident insurgent died in clashes on Saturday between rebelsand dissidents in Seguela, more than 400 km (248.5 miles)northwest of the main commercial city Abidjan.
Fighting was also reported at another western town, Vavoua,where the dissident fighters had also rebelled against thesacking last month of their commander Kone Zakaria by militaryleaders of the New Forces rebels who control the north.
"This morning things are quiet, there has been no fightingovernight," New Forces spokesman Issa Fleby told Reuters.
The New Forces rebels, who support an internationallybacked peace process in the world's No. 1 cocoa producer, werewaiting for reinforcements before fighting back, he said.
"The reinforcements are due to arrive today and after thatwe will launch the counter-offensive to take back control ofthe towns," he said.
Witnesses told Reuters they saw military vehicles gotowards Seguela.
Ivory Coast's brief 2002/2003 civil war divided the countryin two, with the New Forces controlling the north and thegovernment of President Laurent Gbagbo holding the south. Thetwo sides signed a peace and reunification deal in March 2007.
The clashes in the west occurred as Gbagbo's coalitiongovernment, which now includes the northern New Forces rebels,pushes ahead with preparations for national elections onNovember 30 that are aimed at finally reunifying the country.
Gbagbo and his prime minister, New Forces leader GuillaumeSoro, who was appointed under the 2007 peace pact, have saidthey are committed to holding peaceful elections.
Both the government army and the New Forces rebels havewithdrawn their soldiers from frontline positions under apre-election demobilisation and disarmament process that aimsto forge a new united national armed forces under the peaceplan.
But there have been sometimes violent protests in the rebelranks in the last few months from fighters who complain theyhave not received the demobilisation pay they were promised.(For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on thetop issues, visit: http://africa.reuters.com/)
(Reporting by Ange Aboa; Writing by Ingrid Melander,editing by Mary Gabriel)
