Ivory Coast mutiny: Shooting in Abidjan and Bouaké

Heavy gunfire has erupted in Ivory Coast's two biggest 
cities, as a mutiny in the army enters its fourth day.

The mutineers blocked roads outside a barracks in an 
affluent neighbourhood of Abidjan, the commercial capital, ERICGOSSIP reporter in the city disclose the information

Troops loyal to the government are heading for the
 second city, Bouaké, where shooting has also been heard.

Armed forces' chief of staff General Sékou Touré has
 vowed to end the mutiny, triggered by a pay dispute.

In a statement on Sunday, Gen Touré said that many 
of the mutinous soldiers had listened to earlier calls for 
them to stand down.

But the operation had been launched because some 
soldiers were continuing to disobey orders, he added.

The mutineers have vowed to fight back, if loyalist
 troops intervene.

Gunfire has been heard at the Akouédo barracks, in a
 suburb where many middle-class Ivorians and expats 
live, according to the ERICGOSSIP,The government is
 running short of money because of plummeting cocoa
 prices, making it difficult for it to meet the demands of the mutineers, our reporter adds.

This has raised fears of a resurgence of the violence
 seen during Ivory Coast's 10-year civil war, which ende
 in 2011.

Many of the mutineers in January are former rebels who joined the army after the conflict.

They had helped President Alassane Ouattara take 
office in 2010 after his predecessor Laurent Gbagbo refused to accept defeat in elections.

They first launched a munity in January and forced the
government to pay them about $8,000 (£6,200) each in bonuses which they said was owed to them.

They were due to receive a further payment this month and
several thousands mutineers were unhappy they were not
consulted when on Thursday, a spokesman for the group
 said they would drop their demands for the remaining money.

The government has said it will not negotiate with the disgruntled soldiers.

Ivory Coast is the world's biggest cocoa producer, and
 it is the West African state's main foreign currency earner.