Liberian Rebels Escort Embassy Staffs to Border

Rebel fighters escorted staff members and refugees living in the West German, Moroccan and Egyptian embassies from the battleground of Monrovia Wednesday but refused to let Guineans evacuate their mission.

The rebels of Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front have accused Guinea of supporting Liberian President Samuel K. Doe with troops.

Taylor’s rebels escorted 11 West Germans, two Moroccan diplomats, the Egyptian ambassador, 4 Lebanese and 24 Liberians in an 18-vehicle convoy headed for neighboring Ivory Coast, West German Ambassador Juergen Gehl told reporters as he departed.

It would take at least 12 hours to reach the northeastern border, traveling through rebel-held territory.

About 60 Guineans, including the ambassador, were not allowed to join the convoy, Gehl said.

Rebels attacked the embassies of Guinea and Nigeria last week, forcing more than 8,000 people sheltered there into the streets, where the rebels were battling Doe’s troops with rockets, anti-aircraft guns and assault rifles.

People at Guinea’s mission made their way back to the building rather than risk passing through numerous rebel check points blocking the route to the border.

Many of those chased from the embassy were Mandingos, a tribe rebels accuse of supporting Doe’s government. People suspected of aiding Doe risk summary execution.

Taylor’s forces have captured at least four Guinean soldiers accused of fighting with Doe’s troops. But one of the prisoners told reporters he was guarding the embassy when he was taken.

An estimated 1,400 people are still sheltered at the Nigerian Embassy.

In the past, Taylor has said he would allow the Nigerian and Guinean embassies to evacuate their personnel. But that was before both countries announced they were sending troops to a six-nation West African task force mobilizing in neighboring Sierra Leone.

The West African nations sending troops are Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Togo.

Rebels invaded from Ivory Coast on Dec. 24. In February, rebel commander Prince Johnson split with Taylor and formed a rival faction that is fighting Doe’s soldiers in central Monrovia and fending off attacks from Taylor’s forces.

On Tuesday, Taylor said his rebels had killed Johnson in an ambush, but reporters later interviewed Johnson, who laughed at the claim.