Fighters loyal to Cote d'Ivoire's internationally-recognized president, Alassane Ouattara, have seized control of the nation's capital, Yamoussoukro, representing a key victory in a week-long offensive that has gained considerable ground, according to news reports.

Reports said Republican Forces troops had met little resistance as they captured Yamoussoukro from soldiers backing incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo. The BBC and Associated Press quoted eye-witnesses as saying victorious fighters were celebrating by driving around town and shooting in the air, and residents were welcoming them.

A 2005 peace accord ended a brief civil war in Cote d'Ivoire that divided the country between a rebel-controlled north and government-controlled south when Gbagbo was still Cote d'Ivoire's president. Clashes have escalated since the November election that the international community says Ouattara won. Gbagbo has refused to step down and the resulting violence has forced up to one million people to flee their homes, according to the United Nations refugee agency.

Many of those who have fled were living in Cote d'Ivoire's main city, Abidjan, which is divided between pro-Gbagbo and pro-Ouattara neighborhoods. Abidjan is located 230 kilometers south of Yamoussoukro.