Liberian troops 'retake town'

Liberian troops 'retake town'

By Jonathan Paye-Layleh
BBC, in Monrovia

Liberian Defence Minister Daniel Chea has announced that government forces have retaken the central provincial town of Gbarnga.

It would be a boost for Taylor

Mr Chea said that between 13 and 15 government soldiers and more than 100 rebels were killed in the counter-attack which, according to him, has put the rebels on the run.

According to the defence minister, the fleeing rebels headed toward the highway leading to nearby Nimba County to the north-east, taking along a heavy artillery gun mounted in a pick-up truck.

The defense minister said his suspicion is that the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (Lurd) insurgents want to use a border crossing-point between Gbarnga and Nimba County to enter Guinea.

He has accordingly urged the Guinean authorities to arrest any Liberians entering its territory with arms, saying the government forces are at this moment pursuing the retreating rebels.

There has been no independent confirmation of the defence minister's claim.

Thousands are homeless

Gbarnga, former headquarters of the defunct NPFL rebel movement of President Charles Taylor, saw fierce fighting between government forces and the Lurd rebels for more than a week.

Tens of thousands of locals were displaced by the fighting.

The vast majority of the fleeing people have taken shelter in camps for other displaced people in the town of Totota, 60km (40 miles) away on the road leading to the capital, Monrovia.