Guinean Shells Disrupt Disarmament of S. Leonean Rebels: UN.Spokeswoman for the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone Margaret Novicki Saturday said cross- border shelling from Guinea has disrupted the disarmament of Sierra Leonean rebels, who began handing over their weapons under a disarmament agreement signed earlier this week, according to reports reaching here.Novicki was quoted as saying in Sierra Leone's capital Freetown that a team Friday was sent to investigate the shelling near the town of Rokupr, where dozens of Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels handed over their weapons on Friday. Rokupr is close to the border with Guinea, which accuses the RUF backed by the Liberian government of fomenting a rebellion since last July. The United Nations imposed sanctions on Liberia earlier this month, saying that Liberia had not done enough to cut off relations with the rebel RUF. "The disarmament process which was going on was disrupted but there were no casualties reported," said Novicki. Earlier on Friday, the RUF and a government-supported Civil Defense Force, known as the Kamajors, started surrendering their weapons to the United Nations peacekeeping troops in two northeastern areas. Although disrupting the disarmament, the Friday's shelling appeared to be a coincidence and unrelated to the disarmament and demobilization process, the spokeswoman added. It is reported that Guinea regularly launched attacks over the RUF positions across the border with Sierra Leone, often with helicopter gunships. |
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