More UN troops arrive in Freetown

British helicopters have been test-firing missiles

More UN soldiers have begun arriving in Sierra Leone to boost the multi-national peacekeeping force.

The first of the new troop units flew in to the capital, Freetown, two days after UN Security Council agreed to reinforce what was already the UN's largest peacekeeping mission.

The extra forces, from Zambia, Bangladesh and India, will take the total force to 13,000, an increase of 2,000.

I But there has been no new word on the fate of some 334 of their UN colleagues, who are thought to be held by rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF).

A soldier from the Masiaka front line is given cigarettes

The men, mostly Zambian soldiers, disappeared in early May. Around 150 other peacekeepers being held by the RUF were freed last week and released in neighbouring Liberia.

BBC correspondent Mike Donkin says the reinforcements will be used to boost an offensive against the RUF which is taking place on the main road out of Freetown.

The UN forces are moving forward behind Sierra Leone army lines, to hold the ground recaptured by government forces.

'No role' for Sankoh

The push has reportedly taken the combined force beyond the town of Masiaka, which has changed hands three times in the past week.

RUF leader Foday Sankoh remains under arrest after being captured in Freetown last week.

The UK Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said on Sunday that Mr Sankoh should not be allowed to play any future role in the government of Sierra Leone.

Foday Sankoh should be banned from power, says UK

"Obviously we would be concerned that he should no longer have any kind of an influence over Sierra Leone," said Mr Hoon in a BBC television interview.

"He was the one who broke the peace accord, he's responsible for the recent upsurge in violence."

The country's information minister, Julius Spencer, says the government is still considering Mr Sankoh's fate.

Ammunition request

The rebels have demanded freedom for Mr Sankoh, who was detained on Wednesday and was taken by the government to an undisclosed location.

Mr Spencer says the government will not bow to rebel demands that Mr Sankoh be released. "It's out of the question. It's not possible," he said.

Mr Hoon also said the UK was considering a request to supply ammunition to the government of Sierra Leone.

He said the matter had been discussed with Sierra Leone's President Kabbah and would examined "very carefully."