Liberian rebels withdraw from Monrovian port
West African peacekeepers in Liberia have assumed control of Monrovia’s port – a strategic gain in the effort to bring in aid to the war-torn country.
The ECOWAS forces moved in after the main rebel group, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, relinquished their control on the area and moved out to the city’s outskirts.
The changeover came after US marines arrived at the airport in the Liberian capital in order to relieve their west African colleagues.
Renewed fighting broke out just south west of the airport earlier in the week, despite the long-awaited resignation of Charles Taylor as president, making it impossible for the peacekeepers to extend their control to the Monrovian coast.
There are three American warships within sight of the Liberian coast with 2,500 US military personnel waiting to be deployed, if necessary.
The UN has reported severe looting of the World Food Programme warehouses at the port, leaving very few supplies for the half a million residents – that’s half the population – that are thought to be in need of emergency aid.
The UN’s deputy emergency relief co-ordinator, Carolyn McAskie, arrived on Tuesday, to find “dire conditions” and higher-than-expected numbers of displaced persons.
Her inter-agency team expects that a World Food Programme ship laden with emergency supplies will be able to dock in Monrovia by Friday.
But despite the progress the UN claims that relief agencies continue to be unable to access more than two-thirds of Liberian territory.
The new interim president, Moses Blah, arrived in Ghana today for further talks with the rebel groups, in a bid to improve the security situation.
Meanwhile, Ms. McAskie has met with the force commander of ECOWAS to stress the need for security for displaced persons’ camps and for those travelling the 40-kilometre stretch of road between Monrovia and Roberts Airport – particularly aid convoys.
