Annan calls for continued vigilance

An operation carried out by the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) on Saturday was aimed at rebels planning an attack on peacekeeping troops, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan told reporters in New York. "Basically, we are going to remain vigilant," Annan said on Monday. "Anyone who attempts to attack the peacekeepers would know that they will defend themselves and that there will be a price to pay." The faction targeted by 'Operation Thunderbolt' had planned to attack the UN force northeast of Freetown, the UN reported. The UNAMSIL operation succeeded in clearing all unofficial checkpoints along the road between Freetown and Lungi and in dislodging the 'West Side Boys', a militia made up largely of ex-Sierra Leone Army (ex-SLA) fighters. The ex-SLA are forces loyal to Johnny Paul Koroma, who headed the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) junta that ran Sierra Leone in 1997-1998. However, Sierra Leone Web reported Koroma as describing the UNAMSIL operation as "very appropriate". The 'West Side Boys' have reportedly been harassing civilians, obstructing the security and freedom of movement of UN personnel and civilians and blocking deliveries of humanitarian assistance, the UN added. In addition to their usual road and air patrols, peacekeepers are now deployed at key positions on the road between Freetown and Masiaka and towards Rogberi, where activity by the West Side Boys will be monitored, Lieutenant Commander Patrick Coker, UNAMSIL's military spokesman, said in Freetown on Monday. Masiaka is east of Freetown while Rogberi is north of Masiaka. Ammunition cache found UNAMSIL discovered 2,300 rounds of ammunition buried underground at Lungi International Airport, north of Freetown, on Saturday during a routine search and detection patrol, UNAMSIL reported. Meanwhile, a disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) spokesman in Freetown told IRIN on Monday that some 44 former combatants, mostly children, handed in their weapons to UNAMSIL in the eastern town of Daru on Sunday and Monday. He said he did not have any other reports of ex-fighters surrendering.