Heavy fighting has been taking place around important buildings in Abidjan, the main city in Ivory Coast, as the battle for control of the country appears to be reaching a climax.
Troops supporting the democratically elected president, Alassane Ouattara, appear to be poised for a final push to unseat his rival, Laurent Gbagbo, who refuses to give up the presidency.
There has been heavy fighting around Mr Gbagbo's residence in Abidjan, with Mr Outtara's forces encountering strong resistance.
A spokesman for Mr Gbagbo told the BBC his forces would fight on against Mr Ouattara.
But the national army has put up almost no resistance since Mr Ouattara's supporters launched an offensive on Monday. Pro-Ouattara forces reportedly now control about 80% of the country.
Witnesses have reported hearing intense gunfire near Mr Gbagbo's residence, while Mr Ouattara's supporters say they have taken control of state television.
Mr Gbagbo has not been seen in public for weeks. His residence - mainly protected by members of the elite presidential guard - is on a peninsula in Abidjan's lagoon.
In a televised address, Mr Ouattara appealed to soldiers supporting Mr Gbagbo to join him in order to prevent further suffering.
On Wednesday, Mr Ouattara's forces took control of the strategic port town of San Pedro, which handles most of the country's cocoa exports. Mr Gbagbo's home town of Gagnoa has also fallen.
United Nations peacekeepers have taken over the international airport.
Mr Gbagbo refuses to concede defeat after an election last November, which he was adjudged to have lost. The election was intended to reunify the country after a civil war in 2002.
