Fighting between government and rebel forces raged within 60 miles of Liberia's capital on Saturday. Fighting at the northern diamond town of Bopolu was "very serious," an official close to the presidency said, speaking on condition of anonymity. There was no word on casualties. Bopolu has frequently traded hands in a four-year civil war. Rebels opened the latest offensive on Bopolu on Friday. Insurgents took the town after what authorities described as hours of fierce fighting. Rebels made their most concerted push on Liberia's capital in 2002, at one point closing within miles of Monrovia. Rebels captured Bopolu and made it their stronghold until pushed out by government forces on Sept. 11. Rebels based in the north are fighting to oust warlord-turned-president Charles Taylor.
Even though I don't know anything about this group of rebels, dumping Chuck seems like a really good move — though defining a "good move" in Liberia is a relative thing, at best... Prince Johnson is still around.) |