Fresh rebel attack in Solomons

Solomons rebels: The conflict has spread to another island

A third rebel group has entered the Solomon Islands conflict, seizing control of the western town of Gizo.

The militiamen are reportedly linked to separatists on neighbouring Bougainville island. They raided the Gizo police station and telecommunications facilities, according to local radio and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Communications links with Gizo and other parts of the western province were later cut.

Australia is still evacuating foreign nationals from the islands

The Solomons provincial police chief Aloysius Ora said 45 heavily armed men were involved in the raid.

According to Mr Ora, the rebels said they wanted to protect the western province from the Malaita Eagles Force (MEF) - the group that seized key installations in the capital Honiara last Monday.

Gizo lies some 370km (230 miles) northwest of Honiara.

New Zealand radio reported that one young person was killed in the attack.

Bougainville, a province of Papua New Guinea, was itself the scene of a 10-year secessionist war that took thousands of lives before a ceasefire was signed in 1998.

Commonwealth mediation

The latest unrest erupted as a Commonwealth delegation left Honiara after talks with the government and rebel groups who have been battling on the main island of Guadalcanal.

The situation is extremely uncertain

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer

The Commonwealth delegation, led by the Australian and New Zealand foreign ministers, met the islands' premier, Bartholomew Ulufa'alu, who was freed from rebel detention only on Friday.

The delegation also held talks on Saturday with MEF leader Andrew Nori. His group seized Mr Ulufa'alu in the coup last week.

The MEF and their rivals - the Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM) - were dug in on Sunday east and west of Honiara and around the airport, which has seen most of the fighting.

The Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, said he hoped a 14-day truce declared by the two militias on Friday would hold.

"But I'm not altogether sure that it will... The situation here in the Solomon Islands is extremely uncertain," he added.

Earlier, he said the Commonwealth team had been able to set up a process of negotiation between the parties involved.

Evacuations

More Australians and New Zealanders were evacuated from the Solomons on military planes on Sunday.

About 480 foreigners left on an Australian warship on Saturday, bound for Cairns.

New Zealand's Foreign Minister Phil Goff said the Malaitan community had legitimate complaints that should be addressed.

The envoys ruled out sending peacekeepers, saying they wanted to see a quick return to constitutional government and the restoration of law and order.

The Isatabu, from Guadalcanal, are resentful of migration to their island by Malaitans, who have taken top jobs in Honiara.

The MEF and the IFM have been fighting for 18 months over land rights.

Mr Downer said the MEF leader had agreed to return stolen arms to the police by Thursday, when a parliamentary vote of no confidence in Mr Ulufa'alu was scheduled.

The delegation is due to visit another South Pacific hot spot - Fiji - next week.

Australian troop-carrier

The Australian navy ship HMAS Manoora is now heading for the Solomons. It is carrying 200 troops, three Black Hawk helicopters, six armoured personnel carriers and a 40-bed hospital with operating theatres.

The amphibious landing ship is expected in Honiara on Sunday. A navy spokesman said it would assist in evacuations.

The Solomons conflict has left at least 55 people dead and driven 20,000 Malaitans from their homes.