Monrovia, July 08: US military experts were today forced by soldiers loyal to Liberian President Charles Taylor to abort the start of a mission to evaluate the war-torn West African country's humanitarian and security needs. The experts had set off on the start of their mission as US President George W. Bush, who began his first official tour of Africa in Senegal today, was still mulling sending US troops to Liberia, founded by freed American slaves in the 19th century.
The 32-member team of US experts, which includes marines, was on its way to the Voa camp for Sierra Leonean refugees about 15 kilometres from the capital when it was stopped by troops loyal to Taylor and told to return to Monrovia.
The camp was to have been the team's first stop on a mission to assess the pressing humanitarian and security needs of the West African country, mired in almost incessant conflict since 1990. The experts were then due to go on to other camps dotted around the outskirts of Monrovia.
Hundreds of thousands of Liberians have in recent weeks fled fighting on the outskirts of the capital to seek refuge in the heart of Monrovia, where many are living rough, with little in the way of food and hygiene.
The US assessment team, which arrived in Liberia yesterday from in Spain, had been briefed by aid workers.
The ten-vehicle convoy of experts was stopped at iron gate, about 10 km from the city centre and had to return to the capital. No reason was given for the forced about-face.
Meanwhile, in Senegal, Bush today continued to mull sending US troops to Liberia, amid mounting international pressure for the US to commit to the force. Bureau Report