Rebels accused of breaking peace deal

THE Liberian government accused rebels yesterday of mounting a fresh offensive and US helicopters prepared for a mission outside the capital Monrovia to help peacekeepers move into rebel areas.

A peace deal signed last week officially ended Liberia's latest civil war but rebel and government forces have skirmished outside Monrovia and security remains a serious problem for aid workers helping hordes of displaced people.

Thousands of civilians fled toward Monrovia on Saturday, reporting fresh gun and mortar fire on the road toward the rebel-held second city of Buchanan.

Defence Minister Daniel Chea accused the main rebel group Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) yesterday of attacking government positions near the central city of Gbarnga, around 160km northwest of Monrovia. He said fighting was concentrated around the Baila river bridge over the St John River on the main road from Gbarnga to Ganta, 61km farther from Monrovia.

"LURD is on a serious offensive in Gbarnga. In fact, they are half way between Gbarnga and Ganta. I spoke to my commander there at 6.30 this morning and he told me they are using mortars and artillery," Mr Chea said.

"They (LURD) have signed the peace deal, so there is no justification whatsoever for the fighting to continue," he said.

LURD commanders could not be reached for immediate comment.

Colonel Theophilus Tawiah, of West African peace force ECOMIL, said he had not heard any reports of new fighting in the Gbarnga area, though he had heard of fighting there last week.

Caretaker president Moses Blah has made a tour of the region to cement last week's peace deal, designed to end 14 years of bloodshed in Liberia, the heart of a regional cycle of killing.

He apologised for Liberia's role in fomenting civil war in neighbouring countries and asked for help securing peace under an interim government to which he will hand over in mid-October.

Tawiah said US helicopters planned to make reconnaissance flights over the area between Monrovia and Buchanan, currently held by Model, the smaller of Liberia's two rebel factions.

Refugees fleeing an area some 80km from Monrovia on Saturday said they had abandoned their homes the previous day when they heard gunfire and the thud of mortars.

The government accused Model fighters of attacking government positions. But the peacekeeping force said they believed pro-government militias had been shooting to scare civilians a tactic used throughout the conflict by both sides to make looting easier.

"We are trying to make contact with Model in view of some deployment in between the forces ahead of the arrival of the UN troops," Tawiah said.

Tawiah is part of the Nigerian-led West African peacekeeping force ECOMIL, which is expected to be joined by soldiers from around the world and become a United Nations mission.