Liberian rebel runs for president

By Jonathan Paye-Layleh
BBC News, Monrovia

Sekou Conneh aims to represent demobilised former fighters

Sekou Conneh, the man who headed the main Liberian rebel group, Lurd, is to run for president in October polls.

Mr Conneh, 44, said he had strong support among the 100,000 former fighters that have been disarmed since the end of the civil war.

"They want somebody who will cater for their welfare," he told the BBC.

Lurd first attacked northern Liberia from bases in Guinea in 1999. The war ended in 2003 when President Charles Taylor resigned and went into exile.

Gyude Bryant heads an interim governemnt which is tasked with holding elections.

Liberia's voter registration exercise began on Monday and runs until the end of May.

Speaking in the capital, Monrovia, Mr Conneh said some of the former fighters had had their nationality questioned and not been allowed to register to vote.

"This is not fair. It is not everybody in Liberia that has identification cards, but this does not mean that one is not a Liberian," he said.

There are some 18 political parties and more than 50 presidential hopefuls registered to participate including former top footballer George Weah.