SIERRA LEONE: ECOMOG repels rebel attack on Port Loko

A rebel attack last Friday on the town of Port Loko, some 58 km northeast of Freetown, was "immediately repelled" by soldiers of ECOMOG, the West African force's spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Chris Olukulade, confirmed to IRIN on Monday. News reports quoted western diplomats on Sunday as saying there were heavy casualties on both sides. Olukulade said ECOMOG had suffered "a few casualties" but could not give any estimates of civilian or rebel wounded or fatalities. "A number of civilians from nearby villages were rounded up, some were abducted and some amputations took place," he added. The town of Port Loko has been under ECOMOG control for about a month and some of the troops guarding it had been sent to bolster the defences of Masiaka, a key town to its south which was captured by ECOMOG troops at the end of April, Reuters reported. A diplomat was quoted by Reuters as saying "the rebels mounted a surprise attack on the skeletal troops manning the town and it was a bloody battle". Olukulade said that this latest attack is "an indication that the rebels are not sincere about the call for a ceasefire". Government urges rebels to end talks Meanwhile President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah has urged the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels to quickly wrap up their internal consultations in Togo and clear the way for negotiations with his government, news reports said on Saturday. "Any further delay could have a negative impact on the peace process as a whole," Reuters quoted a presidential statement as saying. The government added that it was concerned about the plight of civilians trapped in rebel-held areas and wanted the rebels to open up these areas to humanitarian agencies as "a confidence-building measure," according to Reuters. Foday Sankoh, the RUF leader, arrived in Lome from Freetown on 18 April to hold discussions with his battlefield commanders. Talks began a week later because the rebel contingent arrived late.