Freetown - A Nigerian-led intervention force in Sierra Leone geared up to counterattack rebels yesterday, ferrying fresh troops by helicopter towards the front line in the capital, Freetown.
As West African governments stepped up mediation to stop the fighting in the shattered city, Sierra Leone's beleaguered government boldly predicted the ECOMOG force would drive out the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels shortly.
An American television cameraman working for AP news agency, Myles Tierney (34), was shot dead in Freetown by rebels yesterday. Another AP newsman, Ian Stewart (32), was seriously wounded in the incident. They were with Sierra Leone's information minister, Mr Julius Spencer, escorted by several vehicles of ECOMOG, when they came under rebel fire. Three rebels were killed.