Abidjan , Ivory Coast ( CNN ) -- The broadcast antennae for Ivory Coast 's state news agency was targeted Saturday night by youths loyal to President-elect Alassane Ouattara , according to his representative to South Africa . Patrice Mallet told CNN that Ouattara supporters attacked Radiodiffusion-Television-Ivoirienne ( RTI ) , calling it a `` tool '' used by disputed President Laurent Gbagbo `` to spread hate and xenophobia . '' Mallet also accused Gbagbo 's armed youth league , known as the Young Patriots , along with armed forces loyal to Gbagbo , of committing `` gross human rights violations '' over the past week and a half during fighting that has left the commercial capital , Abidjan , in an increasingly lawless situation . People have been burned alive or gunned down in public because they are supporters of Ouattara , Mallet said . In November , both incumbent Gbagbo and challenger Ouattara claimed victory in the presidential election run-off . An independent electoral commission declared Ouattara the winner , but Gbagbo has refused to step aside . Mallet said other rights abuses include using heavy artillery and rocket-launched grenades against protesters , the destruction of mosques , denial of medical care for Ouattara loyalists and the use of rape and sexual assault as a tactic . Gbagbo is also tracking down Ouattara backers on social networks and chat rooms , Mallet said . The Young Patriots are run by Charles Ble Goude , Gbagbo 's minister of youth . On Friday , he called on Gbagbo supporters to impede the movement of United Nations forces around the country `` by any means . '' There have also been clashes between Gbagbo and Ouattara supporters in the central cities , Yamoussoukro and Daoukro , in addition to ongoing fighting in Abidjan . But Ouattara loyalists have secured the border with Liberia to keep mercenaries out of the country , Mallet said . They have intercepted several groups trying to bring weapons -- including rocket launchers -- into the country , according to Mallet . Violence escalated sharply over the last week , after four African heads of state left Abidjan . They were given a mandate by the African Union to find a `` binding solution '' to the post-election crisis in Ivory Coast . Ouattara is holed up in the Golf hotel in Abidjan under the protection of U.N. peacekeepers . CNN 's Christabelle Fombu contributed to this report .
Broadcast antennae for state-run Abidjan attacked . Ivory Coast 's representative says Gbagbo loyalists are committing `` human rights violations '' Mallet : Liberia loyalists are raping and killing supporters of Ouattara . the past week and a half of fighting have left RTI in an increasingly lawless situation .