UN brings situation in Liberian capital under control following clashes

Newly minted United Nations peacekeepers brought the situation in war-torn Liberia's capital, Monrovia, under control today after a night of random shooting following clashes yesterday that killed three people.

But the city was still reported to be tense on the second day of the new UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), in which 3,500 West African peacekeepers, in the country since an August peace agreement between the government and rebels, were put under UN authority in what is eventually to be a 16,000-strong peacekeeping force.

Yesterday's clashes, which followed a period of relative calm in the capital, started when Sekou Conneh, leader of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), one of two main rebel groups, tried to enter the city to meet President Moses Blah with more than 50 vehicles when the agreed maximum was 15.

A convoy of 10 LURD vehicles with Mr. Conneh was allowed to proceed but some of the vehicles raced ahead and became involved in a confrontation with the local population, Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Representative for Liberia, Jacques Paul Klein, said in a statement today.

A LURD combatant threw a grenade, killing two civilians, and government militia opened fire, killing a LURD combatant, the statement added. Further shooting ensued and the LURD convoy was turned back from the city.

UNMIL "strongly reminds all parties to observe the ceasefire and desist from engaging in any acts which might derail the peace process," the statement said.

UNMIL is in Liberia to monitor the ceasefire, assist the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, and repatriation of all armed parties, including child soldiers, and help in the voluntary return of hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons following years of brutal warfare, in preparation for holding free and fair elections by October 2005.