The secretary general of the former rebel New Forces (FN), Guillaume Soro, said the raids in the north killed three people and wounded at least 20 others.

Aid agency Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres - MSF) which runs a hospital in Bouake, where FN headquarters are located, said it provided first aid to 39 wounded including 14 civilians.

All wounded were hit by bullets from automatic gunfire, said Antoine Foucher, MSF-France mission chief in Ivory Coast.

Ivory Coast armed forces have carried out three raids on Bouake during the day, while later they also attacked the town of Korhogo, warning bombings were to continue through the night.

The New Forces have been in control of the country's northern regions since a failed coup in September 2002.