Troops Open Fire on Liberia Protest Urging Doe to Quit

Soldiers on Wednesday shot into a crowd of demonstrators who were demanding that Liberia’s president resign, and doctors said five people were critically wounded. The army said the shootings were a “mistake.”

The troops opened fire when more than 5,000 unarmed civilians tried to march past the main Barclay Training Center army base to President Samuel K. Doe’s residence. They were demanding that Doe resign to end a six-month civil war in which many civilians have died.

Lt. Gen. Henry Dubar, commander of Doe’s forces, said the soldiers heard gunfire and feared that rebels were attacking the president’s residence, so they began shooting.

Doctors at JFK Hospital in Monrovia said five people were admitted with critical injuries.

The government also announced the execution of a private convicted of killing a Liberian civilian.

Doe’s troops have been accused of killing hundreds of civilians in their effort to halt rebels who have advanced to within 15 miles of the capital. The government has repeatedly promised to punish soldiers convicted of harming civilians, but this was the first known execution.