US marines begin patrolling Haitian capital

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, March 04, 2004

US marines begin patrolling Haitian capital

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US marines started patrolling the streets in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince on Wednesday afternoon in the first show of force since entering the violence-torn Caribbean island country on Sunday, said reports reaching Havana.

The US marines left their bases in the presidential residence and patrolled over 30 blocks in the downtown area in a dozen or soarmored vehicles amid sporadic gunshots in the capital.

Some local residents were upset by the presence of the international peacekeepers, seeing them as an occupation force that forced former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to resign and fled the country.

Meanwhile, rebel leader Guy Philippe has bowed to US pressure and pledged to order his fighters to disarm.

Philippe told a press conference Wednesday following his meeting with US Marine Colonel Mark Gurganus that his men will laydown their arms because the international forces have taken up theresponsibility of protecting the Haitian people.

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