Fierce Fighting Continues Near Liberian Capital

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, June 08, 2003

Fierce Fighting Continues Near Liberian Capital

Fierce fighting between Liberian government troops and rebel groups on the outskirts of Liberia's capital Monrovia continued on Saturday, according to a report reaching here from Monrovia.

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Fierce fighting between Liberian government troops and rebel groups on the outskirts of Liberia's capital Monrovia continued on Saturday, according to a report reaching here from Monrovia.

The US embassy in Liberia has told its diplomats to leave the city, the report said.

Local people told reporters that the sound of heavy weapons could be heard across the city and the capital was in a terror, with thousands of frightened people continuing to flee the combat zone to seek shelter in the center and southeastern parts of the city.

The Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), the main rebel group in the west African country, advanced toward the capital on Friday and reached the Saint Paul River bridge, about 10 km from the city center.

Some 40 LURD fighters were said to have crossed the bridge to reach an area only five km to downtown Monrovia.

The fighting broke out as peace talks on Liberia were suddenly suspended in Ghana on Thursday when Liberian President Charles Taylor said a plot aimed at ousting him while he was in Ghana was foiled.

The planned two-week peace talks whose opening ceremony was held on Wednesday were reportedly suspended till Monday, June 9.

The peace talks were expected to result in an agreement on a comprehensive peace process, including a lasting ceasefire, security, electoral reform, respect for human rights and the rule of law.

The talks were held under the aegis of the Economic Community of West African States and the International Contact Group on Liberia founded last September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly Session in New York to facilitate, coordinate and complement the various initiatives within west Africa and energize UN actions towards the resolution of the Liberian crisis.

The Liberian civil war, which lasted about 15 years and claimed at least 200,000 lives, flared up again in 1998 following attacks launched by the LURD rebels in northern Liberia.

Civil war over the past decade has made Liberia among the most miserable places in the world and the latest unrest since 1998 has forced some 300,000 Liberians to flee to neighboring countries and claimed thousands more lives.

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