Rebels have lifted their two month siege of Liberia's starving capital today, shortly after dozens of US marines were flown in by helicopters.
The rebel pullback follows Monday's resignation and departure of Mr Taylor, a former warlord blamed for 14 years of conflict in Liberia.
He was replaced by his deputy, President Moses Blah who met the leaders of rebel factions in Ghana today for talks aimed at ending civil war. Ghana's foreign minister, Mr Nana Akufo-Addo said Mr Blah met in private withMr Sekou Conneh of the Liberians United for Reconciliation andDemocracy (LURD) group and Mr Thomas Nimley of a smaller factionknown as Model.
This morning, the rebels ceded control of the vital port and other territory to West African and US peacekeepers. Signalling the hand over, US ambassador John Blaney and rebel chief of staff Abdulla Sheriff shook hands on the centre of the front-line New Bridge that had divided government- and rebel-sides in Monrovia.
Their goal of ousting President Charles Taylor met with three days earlier, rebels pulled out, many in pick-up trucks, taking their AK-47s, rocket-launchers and other arms with them. They retreated north toward the Po River, looting aid supplies as they went.
West African peace troops crossed over, some heading in vehicles directly to the port. The harbour, and its warehouses, are vital to getting food and other aid flowing again to countless starving residents and refugees on the cut-off government side.
The opening of the front-lines came as scores of US Marines landed at Monrovia's airport, 45 minutes outside the capital. They are part of a 2,300-strong task force floating offshore to back up the peacekeepers.
Fresh fighting south of Monrovia has already shown thatgetting rid of Mr Taylor, indicted by a UN-backed court for his role in a savage conflict in Sierra Leone, would not be a guarantee of peace, however. Mr Taylor is in exile in Nigeria.
Agencies