United Nations, June 10: The United Nations Security Council has met to discuss the crisis in Liberia, after UN Secretary General Kofi Annan expressed alarm at the fate of one million people in the capital, Monrovia. Diplomats said the Council would be briefed by the head of the UN's political department, Kieran Prendergast, but it was not expected to take any immediate action.
The UN spokesman said Annan was "alarmed at the severe impact which intensified fighting between rebels and government forces in Liberia is having on Monrovia's one million inhabitants."
In a statement, he said clashes on the western outskirts had caused most of the 100,000 people living in refugee camps there to flee for their safety, thousands of them to the centre and east of the city.
Before the fighting erupted on Thursday, humanitarian workers had access to barely 30 per cent of Liberia, and today virtually none of the country's three million people would be able to receive emergency relief, the statement added.
Annan called on all parties to the conflict not to target civilians and to prevent looting of humanitarian assets and property.
He also reminded them "that perpetrators of international humanitarian and human rights law violations, which have been far too common in Liberia, will be held accountable for their acts." Bureau Report