US citizens told to leave Liberia

The United States has asked its non-essential diplomatic staff and private citizens in Liberia to leave the country immediately.

The call comes amid continuing unrest in the West African nation.

The US Government has imposed visa sanctions which will preclude issuance of visas and entry into the United States of government of Liberia officials

State Department statement

A US State Department statement said the security situation in Liberia had deteriorated significantly in recent days and that US citizens should desist from travelling to that country.

"In addition, the US Government has imposed visa sanctions which will preclude issuance of visas and entry into the United States of Government of Liberia officials and their family members," the statement said.

Accusations

Liberia accuses neighbouring Guinea of harbouring rebels who, it claims, have made repeated incursions its territory.

On Wednesday, Vice-President Moses Blah said Liberian troops had driven insurgents out of Zorzor near the Guinean border after an attack.

Troops have been poured into the north

Accusing Guinean troops of taking part in the raid, Mr Blah said his country would defend its borders.

"As a sovereign state, we have a right to protect our territorial integrity," he was quoted as saying by the French news agency AFP.

Guinea has denied any involvement with the rebel attack and, in turn, accused Liberian aircraft of attacking its territory.

Thousands of civilians fled the fighting at the weekend, the latest outbreak in a campaign launched by insurgents in Lofa County in July.

Military sources said between 10 and 15 rebels had been killed in the government counter-attack, with the loss of two soldiers.

Rebels

Rebels are still thought to hold the town of Voinjama, although reliable information is difficult to obtain.

The rebels' identity is unclear, though they are reported to be fighters loyal to two former Liberian civil war faction leaders, Alhaji Kromah and Roosevelt Johnson.

Several militias fought Liberia's seven-year civil war

Alhaji Kromah and Roosevelt Johnson both fought against Charles Taylor during the civil war, which ended in 1997 with Mr Taylor's election as president.

The recent clashes have forced more than 12,000 civilians to move to Gbarnga in Bong County, a former Taylor stronghold the civil war.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has postponed a food convoy destined to feed more than 10,000 internally displaced people in Lofa.