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| East/Subsaharan Africa | |
| Rebels enter Liberia capital | |
| 2003-06-25 | |
| Rebel fighters have crossed a strategic bridge into the Liberian capital, Monrovia, during a night of fierce fighting. They crossed the Saint Paul's Bridge just north of the city, and fighting is under way between the bridge and the port. The BBC's Jonathan Paye-Layleh in Monrovia, says several people have been killed by artillery shells fired into residential areas at the edge of the city. President Charles Taylor has made a radio broadcast, vowing to fight until the end and denying rumours that he had fled the city. Did he call into the radio station from his plane? Correspondents say the fighting appears to have shattered a ceasefire agreed last week. Ya think? On Tuesday, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (Lurd) rebels announced that they had pulled out of peace talks after President Charles Taylor said that he would not step down until next January at the earliest.
"I'll fight till the last one of you! Then I'm out of here." The BBC's West Africa correspondent, Paul Welsh, says that Mr Taylor has "nowhere to run" after an international arrest warrant was issued by the United Nations-backed war crimes tribunal in neighbouring Sierra Leone. Oh, I'm sure he'll try to find somewhere. | |
| Posted by:Steve |