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| Africa: West |
| Senegal Soldiers Arrive in Liberia |
| 2003-08-31 |
| A contingent of about 250 Senegalese soldiers arrived in Liberia on Saturday, increasing the size of the West African peacekeeping force to more than 2,000. West African leaders hope the force will eventually grow to 3,500 troops ... How, by copulating with Liberian ... before they hand over control in coming months to a U.N. peacekeeping mission. The peace force - with about 1,500 troops from Nigeria and 250 each from Mali and Senegal - has yet to deploy far from Liberia’s peaceful capital, Monrovia. For good reason, 2,000 poorly-trained troops will barely control Monrovia as it is. Rural Liberians are pleading for peacekeeper help, as widespread hunger and scattered clashes persist in the countryside despite an Aug. 18 peace accord between rebels and government forces that was signed in Accra, Ghana. The soldiers from Senegal arrived at Liberia’s international airport around sundown, said Odun Sanya, a spokesman for the peace force. Ghana also is expected to send troops at some point, after which the West African force will begin spreading into the countryside. The force is buttressed by about 30 U.S. Marines on the ground acting as liaisons and 250 aboard warships off Liberia. Peacekeeping soldiers have stepped up their presence in the city, manning checkpoints, patrolling streets and pushing fighters from the bloodied city. But turmoil has continued in the countryside. Frightened civilians still flow toward Monrovia, saying food is scarce. Humanitarian groups call aid distributions in the countryside impossible until security is reimposed. Liberia’s defense minister, Daniel |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #1 " After which, Minister Chea crouched down, In a related story, the UN consolate in Monrovia was hit by a erratic RPG |
| Posted by: Charles 2003-8-31 12:56:11 AM |