Uneasy calm returns to Monrovia after fighting

SPORADIC gunfire was heard in several districts of Monrovia yesterday but the city remained largely calm despite the movements…

SPORADIC gunfire was heard in several districts of Monrovia yesterday but the city remained largely calm despite the movements of militia fighters and a reported rocket attack.

Ethnic Krahn militia leaders inside the Barclay Training Centre, a centre city barracks, accused fighters loyal to Mr Charles Taylor and Mr Alhaji Kromah of firming six rockets into the building, injuring at least four civilians.

Later in the morning, dozens of armed Taylor loyalists, who regard themselves as "government forces", drove into the city centre.

Shooting echoed around midday in the diplomatic enclave of Mamba Point and earlier near two bridges linking the city centre with Bushrod Island, where the port and most of Monrovia's few functional hospitals are located.

READ MORE

Although Mr Taylor's National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) appeared to be in control of the older of the bridges, and was stopping most civilian traffic from crossing, an EU convoy of drinking water was allowed to pass.

On Bushrod Island itself, hundreds of civilians lined the road side, waiting for the bridge to open. Thousands more were gathered outside the port but because many were clearly traders or stall holders, it was unclear how many were seeking to leave Liberia via the port.

Despite the closure of the gates, thousands of civilians have now made their home inside the port's sprawling compound. Many of these are displaced people taking advantage of the relative safety.

Hundreds were on board the Zolotitsa, a Russian freighter that has been due to leave for Ghana for two weeks.

Also yesterday, the day after at least 20 people, including two civilians, were killed in factional clashes, civilians living near the Barclay Training Centre called on parties to the conflict to impose an immediate ceasefire.

But with armed fighters still on the streets - albeit in reduced numbers - there was little indication of an imminent end to the latest Liberian crisis.

Meanwhile, in the Ghanian port of Takoradi, workers began building a tent camp to house a shipload of Liberian war refugees savouring their first day on land after Ghana ended their 10 days of misery at sea in search of a port to land.

In Geneva, the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, said its count showed there were only 1,849 people on board the freighter Bulk Challenge, which was allowed to dock on Tuesday, not 3,500 as previously claimed.