Fighting reported to be worsening in Lofa

Fighting between Liberian forces and dissidents in the northern county of Lofa has been worsening according to various sources, including former information minister Paul Mulbah. Mulbah, who now heads an association set up to mobilise defenders of Lofa, his home county, told the BBC on Friday that the fighting had spread to five of its six districts.

A humanitarian source in Monrovia told IRIN that people from Lofa have been reportedly seeking refuge in Bomi County, whose main towns are about half an hour’s drive from the capital. The source said some reports were quoting up to 10,000 IDPs between Lofa and Bomi.

There have also been reports from credible sources that students from Cuttington University just outside Gbarnga, capital of Bong County, have been leaving for Monrovia for fear of being overtaken by the instability. Bong borders on Lofa and the university itself is about 90 minutes drive from the capital.

President Charles Taylor told leaders of opposition parties earlier this week that he was ordering the mobilisation of ex-combatants. The source said many young men were reportedly answering the call, especially since nationalist sentiment is strong in some quarters following the death of Youth and Sports Minister Francois Massaquoi. Massaquoi, who died from his injuries when his helicopter was shot at in Lofa, was scheduled to be buried on Friday.