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afrol News, 7 October - Liberian government troops are standing in the Lofa heartland of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebels. There is now intensive fighting just 20 kilometres from the Guinean border, and thousands of civilians are made fleeing. Fighting between government troops and LURD rebels intensified in and around Kolahun town in the upper Lofa county, north-western Liberia, since Wednesday 2 October. These areas close to the Guinean border - or on both sides of the border, according to the Liberian government - have been the stronghold and base for the rebels. Only in May and June, LURD rebels were in a position to take the capital, Monrovia, but now the tides have turned. There are few reports of the actual fighting in Lofa county, which seems to have peaked on Wednesday. By the weekend, the situation had reportedly stabilised somewhat, UN agencies working in the area report. There were talks of "a series of attacks around the town of Kolahun." The renewed intensity in the Liberian civil war has created a new wave of refugees into Sierra Leone, the UN refugee agency UNHCR today reports. The last wave of Liberian influx into Sierra Leone had reached a peak in June, when LURD rebels were on the offensive in central Liberia. August had been "one of the quietest months since the beginning of the year," the agency reports. The fresh fighting around Kolahun had driven some 3,000 people into Sierra Leone, exacerbating the refugee situation at the latter's border and prompting a relief effort to ease the pressure there, UNHCR reports. Villagers fled and started crossing the border into Sierra Leone's eastern Kailahun district on Thursday. At its peak, there had been up to 200 Liberians arriving every hour. Friday to Sunday, the influx of refugees at the Sierra Leonean border reportedly stabilised but it was "still tense at the border." UN military observers were watching the situation closely and maintaining a robust presence along the border districts. According to UNHCR, the latest influx brings to 16,000 the total number of Liberian refugees waiting in the border areas of Kailahun district to be transferred to camps. Some had arrived as early as May, but had initially declined to be relocated to camps further inland in hope of returning home as soon as peace is restored. The new arrivals appeared to be in bad condition, the UN agency says, "with many of them considered to be vulnerable cases." A total of 62 vulnerable cases, including some malnourished children, had already been identified and referred to Kailahun hospital by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF France). Many of the refugees are women and children under six, "in dire need of food, shelter and medical assistance." On Saturday, UNHCR warned of the deteriorating health, food and sanitation situation in the border area. The agency had met with other UN agencies and non-governmental organisations to co-ordinate efforts and cover immediate needs. Food and health services were thus to be upgraded. Sierra Leone is now hosting some 60,000 refugees who had fled fighting in Liberia, with 46,000 arrivals this year alone. About 38,000 are in camps, 16,000 awaiting transfer at the border and a further 8,000 living in the urban areas. Sources: Based on UNHCR, press reports and afrol archives
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