Gbagbo digs in under fire from UN

Defiant Côte d'Ivoire leader Laurent Gbagbo dug in his heels Tuesday under a barrage of international criticism, as the United Nations defended its hard-pressed peacekeepers and threatened sanctions.

Both Gbagbo and rival Alassane Ouattara claim to have won last month's C?te d'Ivoire presidential election, but UN monitors and almost the entire world community recognize Ouattara as the victor and have demanded that Gbagbo step down.

The UN Security Council (US) voted Monday to extend the mandate of UN peacekeepers in C?te d'Ivoire, known as the UNOCI, for six months, after hearing reports that Gbagbo's forces have been involved in "massive" human rights abuses.

The US also warned that it could order "targeted" sanctions and reinforce the 10,000-strong UNOCI peacekeeping force.

UN troops in the West African country have already opened fire in self-defense and are ready to do it again to defend their mandate, which includes protecting civilians, Reuters cited the UN peacekeeping chief as saying.

At the same time, the EU slapped visa bans on Gbagbo, as well as on both of his wives and 16 senior presidential advisers and military officers.

"It is time for him to go," Reuters quoted White House spokesman Robert Gibbs as saying Monday. "We stand ready to impose targeted sanctions."

Gbagbo has hired a prominent American lawyer to determine ways to peacefully resolve the post-election crisis, according to the AP.

Agencies