The former first lady of Ivory Coast, Simone Gbagbo, has been freed from prison after President Alassane Ouattara granted her amnesty in what he said was a move to foster reconciliation, reports BBC Afrique's Lilianne Nyatcha.

She returned to her home in the upmarket suburb of Cocody in the main city, Abidjan, where a crowd was waiting to welcome her.

Supporters of Simone Gbagbo are delighted by her release 

The president announced on Monday that the ex-first lady will be freed 

In 2015, Mrs Gbagbo was sentenced to 20 years for her role in the violence that followed the 2010 elections in which more than 3,000 people died.

Her husband, Laurent Gbagbo, is on trial at the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.

Mrs Gbagbo was among around 800 people that President Alassane Ouattara pardoned.