“Siege mentality” reported in Freetown

The West African intervention force ECOMOG carried out more bombing raids against rebels in hills near the capital Freetown yesterday (Wednesday), news agencies said. AFP quoted an ECOMOG spokesman as saying that the town of Waterloo, southeast of Freetown, was now in ECOMOG hands, effectively preventing rebels “from escaping to Liberia.” Meanwhile, a “siege mentality” had taken hold in Freetown, with checkpoints set up at strategic locations by ECOMOG troops on the lookout for rebels who have mixed among civilians, AFP said today (Thursday). Many other checkpoints have been erected by civilian “vigilante groups” who stop and search all passing vehicles and pedestrians, news agencies said.