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Liberian President Claims Key Military Victory in Northern Border
Liberian President Charles Taylor Saturday announced that the government troops gained key victory at the battlefields in northern country as they had killed hundreds of dissident soldiers, according to reports reaching here from the country's capital Monrovia.
"Lots of people have got killed in the process. Our forces killed hundreds of enemy forces as they fled into Guinea," Taylor was quoted as saying by his private Kiss FM radio station.
Government troops are in full control of Yeala, a town on the border with neighboring Guinea, after recapturing the northern district headquarters of Zorzor, a scene of recent heavy fighting between government troops and dissident forces, Taylor said.
He said his men are now occupying towns along the border but are under strict orders not to cross into Guinea, adding that they are engaging the dissidents in the Kolahun district in order to " clear the entire region of dissidents who crossed from Guinea to wage war on Liberia".
Taylor said earlier this week government soldiers had recaptured Voinjama, the provincial capital of Lofa county, but he Saturday urged caution of non-governmental organizations in the region.
"Government forces have now reopened the highway between Voinjama and Zorzor but, due to the fluidity of the military situation, it is closed to traffic and all NGOs desirous of operating in the Lofa area should seek clearance from the Ministry of Defense before moving in," the Liberian leader said.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Monie Captan also announced that the Liberian government late Friday released two Sierra Leoneans arrested two months ago for "illegal entry" into Liberia. The two were handed over to Sierra Leone's Embassy in Monrovia.
The move followed a telephone conversation between Taylor and his Sierra Leonean counterpart Tejan Kabbah on Friday, Kiss FM radio reported.
The three members of the Mano River Union which is intended to promote cooperation and economic development, have been increasing conflict on the countries' common borders since early this year.
Sierra Leone and Guinea blamed that Liberia is going on supporting for Sierra Leone rebels as well as armed rebel groups in Guinea. However, Liberia, in turn, accused the two neighboring countries of harboring dissidents in a bid to overturn the government.
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