Makeni in rebel hands

ECOMOG has made a tactical retreat from the northeastern town of Makeni following a battle lasting several days with RUF rebels, General Shelpidi told IRIN. He said the withdrawal was made because ECOMOG supply lines had become overstretched.
The capital Freetown was safe, he said. The rebels had been split into small groups by ECOMOG attacks and were now raiding people’s houses for food.

He confirmed that Nigeria had sent additional reinforcements to Sierra Leone at the weekend and that Gambian troops would soon be joining the coalition force. So far, only Ghana and Guinea have sent troops. He said Guinean troops who had pulled out of Makeni for duties in their country during the presidential elections would be returning to Sierra Leone.

Reuters reported yesterday that the rebel army numbered between 15,000 and 20,000 and that many of its soldiers were youngsters press-ganged into fighting. ECOMOG has not disclosed its troop strength but news reports have estimated there are between 5,000 and 12,000 men in the country. A military analyst told IRIN yesterday in Abidjan that ECOMOG would need at least a 6:1 superiority to overwhelm the rebels. Not all the troops in the country were actively involved in fighting the rebels, the analyst said. Many were tied up guarding strategic positions while the rebels were free to attack at will.