(9 Jan 1999) Natural Sound
Platoons of tense government soldiers are now patrolling the near-empty streets of Sierra Leone's capital Freetown.
The capital of the small, destitute West African country has been carved into neighbourhoods of rebel and loyalist control.
The rebels are concentrated in the city's eastern district and parts of downtown Freetown, while the government controls the west end.
They are battling not only government soldiers and a civil defence force militia, but also forces of the West African coalition army known as ECOMOG.
Artillery fire has been pounding Freetown overnight.
Heavy street fighting was reported on Saturday around one of the city's main military bases, the Wilberforce Barracks.
ECOMOG commanders also reported clashes in the Congo Town district, about a kilometre (mile) from the downtown area.
On Friday, a top rebel commander rejected a proclaimed ceasefire by President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah.
General Sam Bockarie, the Revolutionary United Front's top field commander, warned his rebels would intensify their assault on the capital if he were not allowed to meet soon with Foday Sankoh, his imprisoned leader.
On Friday, he said an attack on western parts of the capital controlled by loyalists would come within 24 hours.
This attack would be followed by an assault on the nearby international airport at Lunghi, an important rearguard ECOMOG stronghold.
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15 окт 2024
