West African leaders ended a two-day summit on Saturday with a decision to sent military observers to police Guinea’s borders with Sierra Leone and Liberia.
In a statement at the end of the summit of the Economic Community of West African States, the leaders did not say how many troops would be needed or when they would be deployed.
The decision to deploy has been prompted by fighting in Guinea between government troops and insurgents from Liberia and Sierra Leone. The invaders, some of whom are reportedly Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels from Sierra Leone, have caused tens of thousands of Guineans and refugees to flee their homes and camps.
The attack has also caused a public backlash against Sierra Leonean and Liberian refugees in Guinea.
Meanwhile, the ECOWAS leaders decided to create a regional passport that will replace national travel documents and the current ECOWAS travel certificate.
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