At least two civilians were shot dead after lengthy bursts of gunfire were heard in a tense neighbourhood of Ivory Coast's crisis-stricken commercial capital Abidjan, an AFP journalist reported.

Two bullet-riddled bodies were seen lying in a street of Abidjan's Abobo neighbourhood, a stronghold of the country's internationally recognised president Alassane Ouattara.

Troops loyal to incumbent strongman Laurent Gbagbo have been besieging Ouattara's camp at an Abidjan hotel for weeks during a tense crisis that has seen at least 200 people killed, according to the United Nations.