Troops retake Foya, government says

Liberia says its troops have retaken the town of Foya in the northern county of Lofa, according to news reports on Wednesday quoting the Ministry of Information. Radio Liberia International reported the ministry as saying that Foya fell over the weekend when dissidents, who Liberia says came from Guinea, retreated. It described the battle for the town as a “major offensive” but failed to provide casualty figures. “The government continues to press for the liberation of other areas that have been attacked,” the ministry said. Reuters reported that Foya had changed hands several times since the insurgency began in July 2000. Liberia has accused Guinea of supporting the dissidents, a charge Conakry denies. Likewise, the Guinean government has accused Monrovia of backing insurgents who have been attacking Guinea from Sierra Leone since September. Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone comprise the Mano River Union, a grouping set up to encourage economic integration. Each of the three had undertaken not to allow dissident activity from their territories against the others. In view of the current fighting, in which thousands of civilians have been displaced, Liberian President Charles Taylor has reiterated a call for an urgent summit of the Mano River leaders.