Liberia's President, Mr Charles Taylor stepped down in a ceremony in the capital Monrovia this afternoon with Vice-President Mr Moses Blah ready to assume the presidency. "God willing, I will be back," Taylor said.
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Charles Taylor's deputy, Moses Blah,
is expected to remain in power until October |
Taylor's reluctant resignation was in response to pressure from the United States which hopes his departure will speed an end to the violence that has gripped the West African country for nearly 14 years.
The former warlord is understood to have left Liberia for Nigeria where he has been offered asylum.
Ghana's President John Kufuor, attending the ceremony, said Blah will remain in power until October before handing over to an interim administration.
Earlier today, Mr Taylor said he was a "sacrificial lamb" stepping down to spare his people more bloodshed. He also accused the United States of backing his rebel enemies.
"I'm stepping down from office of my own volition ... I did not want to leave this country. I can say I am being forced into exile," he said from his residence.
The outgoing president's future is still unclear as he faces an indictment for war crimes by a United Nations backed court investigating atrocities during Sierra Leone's civil war.
Diplomatic sources say Mr Taylor will most likely leave for Nigeria, which has offered him asylum. Security sources said he shipped four vehicles out of the country on yesterday aboard planes bound for Nigeria.
Violence flared, yesterday, in a suburb of Monrovia where police and militiamen looted stalls for food and traded punches. Even some government offices were looted in a last gasp free-for-all.
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Nigerian peacekeepers have moved into Monrovia, but have yet to deploy in the rebel-held port. The rebel Liberians United for Democracy and Reconciliation (LURD) have said they will withdraw only after Mr Taylor leaves.
Diplomatic sources say the US ambassador will hold an important meeting with rebels on today after Mr Taylor steps aside, and government officials said peacekeepers might secure the key bridges leading into LURD territory.
Mr Taylor came to power after leading a force that that overthrew dictator Mr Samuel Doe. Seven years of civil war followed, and 200,000 people were killed. He emerged as the strongest of a ruthless field of warlords and won elections in 1997.