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Vieira loyalists freed, new rulers settle in

    ABIDJAN

    Guinea Bissau's new rulers freed 186 soldiers loyal to ousted President Joao Bernardo Vieira on Thursday.

    The soldiers, aged between 15 and 20 years, were released at a ceremony in Bissau attended by diplomats and ECOMOG troops. Some of the pro-Vieira troops had been trained in neighbouring Guinea before joining the loyalist ranks in October, Lusa said. Others, it added, were pressed into service shortly before the Junta unleased its final drive against Vieira, overthrown on Friday 7 May.

    Attention was focused this week on demands for Vieira's handover to the victorious Military Junta, who want him tried for what they say are crimes against the state. Portugal, however, has vowed to protect Vieira whom it has granted asylum.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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