Two missing aid workers reported dead

The bodies of two ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency) workers who had been missing since 28 February were found close to Toe Town, eastern Liberia, the agency said in a news release on Thursday. The release quoted Liberia's Defence Minister Daniel Chea as saying that the bodies of Emmanuel Sharpolu, acting ADRA Liberia director, and driver Musa Kita had been found in grave near the town, which is on the Liberia-Cote d'Ivoire border. It said no details were available on the whereabouts of Kaare Lund, ADRA director for Norway, who was travelling with them. "This news has obviously come as a great shock to all of us as these are three of our most seasoned workers," Charles Sandefur, ADRA International president, said. "Emmanuel and Musa have each been with ADRA for at least 10 years and have consistently demonstrated their dedication to the people of Liberia. Our hearts and prayers go out to their wives and children at this time." ADRA, along with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), was "tirelessly seeking confirmation and resolution to this terrible tragedy". "Though continued unrest in the area has significantly hampered fact-finding missions, everything humanely possible is being done on both sides of the border to obtain additional information, Sandefur added. The three men had been on their way to visit an ADRA project funded by the Norwegian government, the release said. Liberia's defence spokesman, Philibert Browne, said on Wednesday that the ADRA vehicle had been ambushed by "retreating LURD rebels" during weekend fighting in Toe Town, and that its "eight" occupants were killed. Toe Town, a transit point for people fleeing fighting in Cote d'Ivoire, had been captured on Saturday by what the Liberian government described as "Liberian mercenaries armed and backed by the Ivorian government". Browne told IRIN government forces had "taken full control of Toe Town as of Monday". The Liberian government sent a team of journalists to the town to verify that it had been recaptured. UNHCR said on Monday that over 2000 Ivorian refugees and other third-country nationals had fled the transit centre and scattered in different directions when the town was attacked. "We have reports that some are fleeing south towards Zwedru and north towards Tappita," UNHCR Representative in Liberia Moses Okello told IRIN Zwedru is the administrative capital of Grand Gedeh County, which includes Toe Town. Tappita is a district in Nimba County, which borders on Grand Gedeh.