Guinean rebel attacks increase tension

Guinea is home to about half a million refugees

A group of rebels from within Guinea says it was behind the attack on the town of Macenta on Sunday, in which a UN employee was killed.

Tension has been high in the region following attacks by suspected rebels near Guinea's borders with Sierra Leone and Liberia.

In a BBC interview, a spokesman for a group calling itself the Rally of Democratic Forces of Guinea, said its fighters had met little resistance in Macenta, and were intent on reaching the capital, Conakry.

Spokesman Mohamed Lamine Fofana said the group was not allied to rebel groups operating in the region from Sierra Leone and Liberia.

The United Nations said an employee of its refugee agency, the UNHCR, who was from Togo, had his house set on fire during the rebel attack on Macenta.

Another UN worker who is from Ivory Coast is missing.

Tension high

The Guinean Government has blamed refugees from its two neighbouring countries for aiding rebels, and has told them to leave.

The patience of Liberia's people is running out and the anger is increasing among Liberians at home

Liberian Information Minister Joe Mulbah

Last weekend, Guinea's President Lansana Conte ordered the rounding-up of Sierra Leonean and Liberian refugees who were helping rebels.

His remarks sparked a wave of anti-refugee attacks in Guinea. Several thousands were detained and many more sought refuge in their embassies in Conakry.

Taylor: Frustrated at being unable to repatriate Liberians in Guinea

In its latest statement, Liberia has said it cannot continue to guarantee the safety of Guineans in Liberia, if the Guinean government continues to deny its aircraft landing rights to evacuate Liberian refugees.

"The patience of Liberia's people is running out and the anger is increasing among Liberians at home," said Liberian Information Minister Joe Mulbah.

Guinea hosts about 500,000 refugees who have fled conflicts in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

There were reports early last week of reprisal attacks against Guineans in Freetown, and troops surrounded the Guinean embassy in the Liberian capital Monrovia after threats on Guinean citizens there.