Rebels Press Farther Into Liberia Capital

[newyawker99]

Rebels pushed farther Sunday into Liberia's capital, where they exchanged mortar and machine-gun fire with government troops in a battle for control of two key bridges leading to the city center. President Charles Taylor earlier vowed to fight "to the last man."

Rebels now control the port area and the northern part of the city in fighting that has sent tens of thousands of frightened residents scurrying for shelter. Government gunmen were deployed on rooftops downtown and around the bridges.

The rebel assault - the third against Monrovia since last month - shattered hopes that a speedy deployment of international peacekeepers could avert fresh violence in a country where hundreds of thousands have died in two savage civil wars.

Combatants wearing shorts and flip-flops traded mortar, grenade and machine-gun fire on the two bridges leading into downtown Monrovia from the port area.


Liberia