Sierra Leoneans flee to Guinea

Meanwhile, local reports in Guinea indicate that some Sierra Leoneans have recently fled fighting in Kambia District and crossed the border, a UNHCR official in Guinea told IRIN on Wednesday.

Some 733 Sierra Leoneans were reported by local authorities to have crossed into the locality of Dakhagbe from Kambia although the UNHCR office in Forecariah, about 100 km southeast of Conakry, says they were not all found.

"Some may have gone back to Sierra Leone while some may still be in surrounding villages," a UNHCR official said.

Only 21 unarmed but uniformed Special Security Division (SSD) agents, a body of the Sierra Leone Police, were identified in Dakhagbe, reportedly the entry point, by UNHCR officials. The SSD agents have asked to stay under the protection of the UNHCR. The UNHCR said a protection mission from Conakry went to Forecariah on Tuesday to gather more information on the situation.

The reason behind the fighting in Kambia District is unclear although police authorities in Forecariah say they received a letter written by a RUF captain advising that the attack was not directed at Guinea, according to local media reports.

ECOMOG spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Chris Olukolade told IRIN that he had received unconfirmed reports of RUF attacks and human rights abuses in Kambia District but had no information that ECOMOG troops were involved in the fighting.

Local people have accused RUF rebels of beating and killing people living in the area. They also claim that fighters go from house to house demanding money, Star Radio reported quoting residents on a state radio talk show in Freetown. They said women and children were suffering severe hardships and appealed to RUF leader Foday Sankoh to order his men to stop the terror.