'Liberian rebels' attack Guinea

Many refugees in Guinea fear for their lives

Military sources in Guinea confirmed that three rebels died in a short but vicious confrontation with a group of armed insurgents.

Two Guinean soldiers were killed and one police signaller wounded in the clash that took place in Koyama in the south east border region.

The sources claim the attackers came from across the border in Liberia on Monday night, possibly in search of food.

Guinea blames Liberia for a series of cross-border raids while Liberia accuses Guinea of harbouring "dissidents" - both countries deny the accusations.

Hundreds dead

There are no reports of civilian casualties in the attack, which took place 70km from Macenta where 60 people died in a similar incident last Friday.

Unofficial estimates say some 300 people have been killed in the past month in incidents along Guinea's borders with both Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Guinea hosts nearly half a million refugees from the two countries and tension has been running high since September, when President Lansana Conteh accused them of supporting rebels and told them to leave.

Anti-refugee tension

Ten people died in an attack on Saturday by unidentified armed assailants on the Forecariah camp housing Sierra Leonean refugees.

The camp was partially burnt down and vandalised during the attack.

Conte: Believes refugees should go home

Anti-Sierra Leonean sentiment has been running high among the local Guinean population.

Local youth militia accuse the refugees of collaborating with insurgents and have threatened to set fire to the camp.

According to the UNHCR about 5,000 Liberians and Sierra Leoneans were detained by security forces and vigilantes last month for 'identity screening'.

There were confirmed reports of rapes and beatings.

Guinean civilians have joined enthusiastically in hunting down refugees, in what correspondents described as an outpouring of resentment against foreigners, which had been building up for years.