Sierra Leone: UN peacekeepers deploy deeper into rebel-held territory

The United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) today began deploying to the central part of the country as part of its push into rebel-held areas.

The deployment to Makeni and Magburaka - towns held by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) - is expected to take about a week.

Meanwhile in New York, Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Legal Counsel, Hans Corell, this morning convened a meeting of interested Member States to discuss the Special Court proposed for Sierra Leone to try war crimes committed there since 30 November 1996.

UN spokesman Fred Eckhard told the press that the meeting had reviewed the budget as well as the practical planning for the court, and had agreed to set up a Management Committee composed of major donors to the Special Court and members of the UN Secretariat, who will work together as the Court is established.

The Office of Legal Affairs will draw up the terms of reference for the Committee and will meet again with Member States by the end of April "to get it up and running," the spokesman said.