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| Africa: West |
| US Boots on the Ground in Liberia |
| 2003-08-14 |
| (EFL) MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) - Dozens of American troops landed at Liberia’s main airport Thursday, increasing the U.S. presence to boost West African peacekeepers, as rebels began withdrawing from Monrovia, ending their two-months siege of the starving capital. U.S. Ambassador John Blaney and rebel chief of staff Abdullah Sherrif shook hands in the center of a bridge marking the front-line of the war-divided capital, signaling the rebel handover. The rebel withdrawal opens access to Monrovia’s vital seaport and allows food and supplies to flow again, particularly to the famished government-held side of the capital, where hundreds of thousands of residents and refugees have had little more than leaves to survive on. ... Firing into the air, insurgents left the port and retreated north, heading toward the Po River, their promised new boundary outside the city. They kept their AK-47s, rocket-launchers and other arms, and many carried away stereos, sacks of food aid, and other loot. Tens of thousands of civilians massed on both sides of the New Bridge. West African peacekeepers, trying to curb the chaos, held back hungry crowds on the government side as well as civilians on the former rebel side, who rushed the bridge by the thousands, shouting, "We want peace!" ... President Bush had refused to send in any significant number of troops until Taylor left - and Thursday’s deployment dramatically increased the number of U.S. troops on the ground in Liberia, from only about a dozen to a planned 200, including a 150-member rapid reaction force. U.S. Marines armed with M-16s and wearing helmets and jungle camouflage jumped out as nine U.S. helicopters settled on the airport tarmac, with two more helicopters hovering overhead. "We are just here to help the people," Sgt. Michael Hobbs said minutes after arriving. All the 200 additional U.S. soldiers were expected to arrive Thursday. ... Fifty members of the new U.S. deployment are to help with the logistics of getting aid flowing again to Liberia’s cut-off capital. ... West African nations have been landing peacekeeping troops since Aug. 4, keeping them at a temporary base at the airport until the force reached sufficient strength to deploy in the capital. Monrovia, a city of more than 1 million, is now crowded with hundreds of thousands of refugees. About 800 West African peacekeepers, mostly Nigerian soldiers, have landed so far, and a second Nigerian battalion was to start flying in later Thursday. ... Blaney, the U.S. ambassador, said the southern rebels have now agreed to withdraw to within a few miles of Buchanan, using the St. John River as a cease-fire line. It looks like several hundred US Marines will take part in providing aid and security for Monrovia. Doubt they’ll spend much time elsewhere, but it’s possible. Hope they’re not there long - we may need them elsewhere soon. |
| Posted by:Old Patriot |