Fighting reported in Suehn-Mecca

Fighting has been going in northwestern Liberia over the past few days, a diplomatic source in the capital Monrovia told IRIN on Friday.

"There were reports today [Friday] that fighting was [still] going on in Suehn-Mecca, which is 70 km from Monrovia," the source said. "The situation is rather hard to ascertain. Most certainly there has been displacement but it is very difficult to know how many or where they could be," he added. The source said Liberia's Defence Ministry had blamed the week's fighting on rebels retreating from the town of Arthington, scene of previous clashes.

Suehn-Mecca is located in Lofa, the county worst hit by fighting over the past few years between government forces and a group called Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD). In recent months, LURD has intensified its efforts to oust the government of President Charles Taylor.

On Tuesday, the government rejected a recent call by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for an immediate ceasefire saying this would give LURD an opportunity to re-group and would also put it at par with the rebels.

"Calling for a ceasefire at a time when the Liberian government has already broken the back of a very large attack in Gbarnga, in Arthington and in Klay [35 and 25 km from the capital, Monrovia respectively], will only give the terrorists the opportunity to regroup and attack Liberia," BBC quoted Liberian Information Minister Reginald Goodridge as saying.