ECOMOG beats off attack on Yilleh village

West African intervention troops have beaten off an attack by rebels on the village of Yilleh, 60 km east of Freetown, an ECOMOG officer told IRIN today. He said that when rebels attacked the village over the weekend ECOMOG troops in the nearby town of Masiaka were called in. The officer said civilians from Masiaka fled, fearing an extension of the fighting. He gave no casualty figures. AFP reported that truckloads of exhausted looking civilians continued to arrive in Freetown on Monday. Rebels also attacked the Port Loko area, 60 km northeast of Freetown, and Kambia, some 20 km farther north over the weekend, AFP reported. However, the ECOMOG officer told IRIN that the Port Loko highway was now being patrolled by the West African force. He also confirmed news reports that an ECOMOG Alfa Jet on “a routine mission” had crashed while returning to base near Freetown’s Lungi international airport. The crash appeared to be the result of a mechanical failure, he said, adding that the pilot ejected safely and had undergone a medical examination.