The Ivory Coast's new socialist leader, Mr Laurent Gbagbo, called for national reconciliation yesterday after a popular uprising swept him to power, forcing the junta chief, Gen Robert Guei, to flee the country.
At least 13 people were killed during a night and a day of violent protests following Gen Guei's decision on Tuesday to dissolve the independent commission overseeing the country's presidential elections and award himself the presidency.
As the last bursts of gunfire echoed around the capital, Abidjan, Mr Gbagbo thanked supporters of his Ivorian Popular Front for repelling what he called Gen Guei's "electoral coup d'etat". The president of Ivory Coast's electoral commission, Mr Honore Guie, last night resumed the official vote count from the weekend's presidential election. African and European leaders demanded fresh elections.
The military is ready to serve Mr Gbagbo, its chief-of-staff, Gen Soumalila Diabakate, said on national television last night.
All military units are "at the disposal" of Mr Gbagbo, he said.
Meanwhile, Gen Guei was thought to have fled to Benin.
On Tuesday, Mr Gbagbo called for a Belgrade-style uprising against the military regime. As his supporters defied an emergency curfew to take to the streets and soldiers mutinied to join them, his call was answered to the letter.
The first mutineers were defeated by their loyalist comrades in a skirmish at an Abidjan military base early yesterday. But as word of the clash quickly spread, more and more soldiers joined the protesters. Sustained shooting rocked central Abidjan.
Thousands of Mr Gbagbo's supporters, including hundreds of armed soldiers and police swarmed through Abidjan's main streets, setting up barricades, lighting fires and screaming for Gen Guei's resignation. They seized the state radio and television stations, encountering no opposition from the security forces outside.
As rumours of Gen Guei's flight circulated, the shooting began to die down. However, scattered gunfire continued around the presidential offices where the junta's abandoned soldiers made a stand. According to unconfirmed reports, at least two people were killed yesterday. Mr Gbagbo's supporters say that 11 people were killed on Tuesday night when government troops fired on a crowd of several thousand unarmed protesters attempting to occupy the presidential palace.