UN urges African force for Liberia

Government forces accuse rebels of breaking the ceasefire

The United States will not take a decision on whether to send troops into Liberia until a local, West African force is in place, a UN envoy has said.

The envoy, Jacques Klein, said the key thing was that troops from Ecowas - the Economic Community of West African States - should go into Liberia quickly, to end the fighting between the government and rebel groups.

He said the Americans were willing to engage, but wanted to see the strength of the regional commitment first.

Mr Klein was speaking as reports from Liberia itself said rebels of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (or Lurd) had again advanced close to the capital Monrovia.

On two occasions last month, they moved into the city's suburbs and hundreds of civilians died in the fighting.

Bush 'commitment'

Jacques Klein, who recently took up the post as special representative of the UN Secretary General for Liberia, recently accompanied Kofi Annan on a trip to Washington and was party to discussions about the possible deployment of American troops to help restore law and order in Liberia.

They [US] are willing to engage UN Liberia envoy Jacques Klein

Mr Klein warned that no decision would be taken on the scale or shape of US involvement until west African nations got their troops on the ground:

"We need Ecowas to move quickly... Ecowas units should be ready because the Americans will not make their decision until the Ecowas troops are deployed. They're willing to engage. I was very taken by President Bush's commitment to doing something, but they're looking to see now what the region will do first."

He also said Liberia's President, Charles Taylor, would be expected to go into exile - most likely Nigeria - on the day the first American troops arrived.

He expressed hope that Mr Taylor, who has been indicted by a UN-backed international war crimes court in Sierra Leone, would be prevented from meddling in the internal affairs of his country.

Trading accusations

In Liberia, the government accused Lurd rebels of breaking the ceasefire with an attack 50 km from Monrovia.

The rebels said there had been a skirmish at Klay Junction, north of the city, but said it was over - they blamed the government for starting it.

Correspondents say rumours of a rebel offensive are preventing Monrovia's displaced population from returning home.

Some refugees left camps on hearing reports of renewed fighting

Government officials said Lurd rebels had seized Klay Junction and were advancing towards the city limits.

"We are observing the ceasefire, but the rebels are not," said chief of security, General Benjamin Yeaten.

"We are defending. They are carrying on shelling towards Monrovia."

The BBC's Paul Welsh in Liberia followed the country's most senior general from Monrovia to the front-line alongside pick-up trucks full of heavily-armed men.

He reports that the commander was briefed by the head of Liberia's marines about 15 kilometres from Klay. The commander was told fighting in the town was serious and was still going on.

Our correspondent said he could hear no gunfire or shelling from his position.