SIERRA LEONE: UN SOLDIERS HELD HOSTAGE BY REBELS LATEST скачать в хорошем качестве

SIERRA LEONE: UN SOLDIERS HELD HOSTAGE BY REBELS LATEST

(7 May 2000) English/Nat XFA The U-N says it's lost contact with another 200 peacekeeping troops in Sierra Leone but rebel leader Foday Sankoh denies they're being held by his men. The Revolutionary United Front leader claims the U-N troops, mainly from other African nations, are just lost in the bush - and his men are only trying to help them. His comments come as local women demonstrated in the capital, Freetown, in support of the presence of the United Nations. It's not only U-N troops that are mobilising in Sierra Leone's capital Freetown. Local woman have taken to the streets to voice their anger regarding the abductions of U-N personnel. A UN spokesman said the total number of soldiers held by Sierra Leonean rebels could be "close to 500". He said the incident occurred in the central Makeni region where rebel fighters previously took more than 300 peacekeepers hostage. The U-N holds leader of the rebel Revolutionary United Front (R-U-F) Foday Sankoh responsible - as do the locals. SOUNDBITE: (English) "They abducted them they have killed some - so we are afraid these people may not be allowed back so we are pleading to this man to give us peace in this country. SUPER CAPTION: Vox pop, Demonstrator Some 150 foreign aid workers have already left Freetown by helicopter. They represent a small proportion of the large expatriate aid community in Sierra Leone. Intense diplomatic efforts are continuing to secure the release of the U-N peacekeepers. But Sankoh says the missing peacekeepers are lost in the bush and are likely to turn up. SOUNDBITE: (English) "These U-N people, they are foreigners here and they don't know the terrain . So some go missing, they started in mad places. and as time goes on I think all of them will come out. I think my men are in a position now to try to trace these men. I think the problem will resolve, nothing to worry about." SUPER CAPTION: Foday Sankoh, Leader Revolutionary United Front The rebels had agreed to a peace plan arranged by the U-N last year to end an eight-year civil war. But the agreement appears to have fallen apart. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...