At least three people were killed on Saturday in clashes in Cote d'Ivoire while the West African country imposed an election curfew one day ahead of the presidential run-off, police reported. The pre-vote violence has brought the toll to five in the past week.

Police used teargas in confrontations with demonstrators in the neighborhood of Abobo in the economic capital Abidjan. The protesters believed to be supporters of presidential candidate Alassane Ouattara said live rounds were fired in the scuffle, killing three and wounding more than 10 others.

The latest clash erupted when outgoing President Laurent Gbagbo declared a curfew between Saturday and Wednesday, a measure meeting with strong opposition from Ouattara and his supporters.

In a presidential decree, Gbagbo announced the curfew would take effect between 10 p.m. (2200 GMT) Saturday and 6 a.m. (0600 GMT) Sunday, and between 7 p.m. (1900 GMT) and 6 a.m. (0600 GMT) from Monday to Wednesday.

Despite the presence of the 9,800-strong UN peacekeeping mission, security forces in Cote d'Ivoire and international observers, deadly skirmishes were reported in the presidential campaigns held on Nov. 20-26. The government has confirmed that at least two people were killed in the fight between Gbagbo's supporters and those loyal to Ouattara.

Gbagbo took the lead in the first round held on Oct. 31 with more than 38 percent of vote. He was followed by Ouattara, who scored 32 percent.

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