Liberia Rebel Chief Declares War on Peacekeeping Force

Rebel leader Charles Taylor has declared outright war on a West African peacekeeping force, dubbing it a band of foreign mercenaries.

“Our country has been invaded by hostile foreign mercenary forces consisting of bandits and hooligans brought in by (President) Samuel (K.) Doe to continue his killing of the Liberian peoples,” Taylor said Sunday on Elbc radio, which has resumed broadcasting under rebel control.

Taylor described Doe, whom he is seeking to overthrow, and the 3,000-strong peacekeeping force as “our common enemy who are determined to destroy Liberia.”

“Samuel Doe and his foreign mercenaries must be destroyed or removed from our motherland,” Taylor said, telling Liberians they cannot remain neutral in the conflict.

Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia has been locked in battle with the peacekeeping force, which is composed of military units from Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Gambia, since it arrived in Monrovia nine days ago.

This is the first time that Taylor, who has already declared himself president of a new provisional government, has publicly declared war on the white-helmeted peacekeepers.