[Iran Press TV] The UN refugee agency says it expects another 5,000 people to flee Ivory Coast by next week as post-election violence continues to rock the West African nation.Melissa Fleming, a spokeswoman of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says at least 4,200 people have already decamped to Liberia.
"We are expecting 5,000 early next week or before given the pace," Fleming said.
"It could result in fighting that could push people to flee," she added.
A standoff between the country's two self-proclaimed presidents turned bloody on Thursday.
Security forces loyal to incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo clashed with supporters of opposition leader Alassane Ouattara.
At least 20 people were killed and many more were maimed in the main city of Abidjan and central Ivory Coast.
The international community has recognized Ouattara as the winner of the presidential election, however, the incumbent president, who still has command of the army, is refusing to give up power.
President Gbagbo, who is under pressure to step down, accused US-led Western countries of meddling in Ivory Coast's internal affairs.
The country's 10-year President Gbagbo has expressed readiness to sit down and talk.
Ouattara, however, said he will not negotiate unless Gbagbo stepped down from office and respected the will of the Ivorian nation and the international community.
The disputed presidential election has raised the risk of a long power struggle in the country. The world's top cocoa-producing nation is still reeling from the 2002-2003 civil war, which split the West African country in two.