Hostages Sierra Leone

A nearly weeklong hostage crisis ended Tuesday when former junta soldiers freed their remaining prisoners after receiving assurances they would not be prosecuted, a top government official said. The rogue rebels released 15 West African intervention force soldiers and a U.N. military observer, along with 200 civilians taken prisoner during this West African nation's brutal eight-year civil war, Information Minister Julius Spencer said at a news conference.

One Indian U.N. peacekeeper was killed and seven peacekeepers were injured during the weekend raid to free more than 200 U.N. soldiers who were surrounded by rebels, the U.N. commander in Sierra Leone said. "We managed to extricate all the 233 peacekeepers, and in doing so we had one fatal casualty and seven injured," said Indian Gen. Vijay Kumar Jetley, the force commander. "This is the price we have to pay." U.N. officials previously had said that four peacekeepers were injured.

Heavily armed United Nations troops supported by helicopter gunships launched a rescue mission in the West African nation of Sierra Leone on Saturday to extract 233 of its peacekeepers who have spent two months at a base surrounded by rebel soldiers. Secretary-General Kofi Annan indicated that the operation was successful in its initial stage and that it was continuing through difficult terrain controlled by hostile members of the Revolutionary United Front, or RUF. Annan said 11 U.N.

In a daring rescue mission, the United Nations brought to safety Sunday all of its peacekeepers who spent two months trapped in a small base surrounded by rebel soldiers in Sierra Leone. The action brought relief at U.N. headquarters in New York and marked a new, robust stance for the world organization's military force in the West African nation torn by civil war. "Everyone pulled together, and it worked," said Fred Eckhard, spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

United Nations officials said they would step up efforts today to find hundreds of peacekeepers taken hostage or missing in Sierra Leone after the threat of a rebel attack on the capital appeared to recede. The first British paratroops, meanwhile, were due later in the day in neighboring Senegal after Britain's decision Sunday to send five warships and about 1,600 soldiers to West Africa to help any of its citizens who may need to be airlifted out. Bernard Miyet, U.N.

At least 46 United Nations peacekeepers were freed Friday by Sierra Leonean rebels and sent to neighboring Liberia, and officials there said more were on the way. U.N. spokesman David Wimhurst said the latest releases raised expectations that the monthlong hostage crisis, which has rocked the troubled peacekeeping mission, was drawing to a close. "We are cautiously optimistic that this will be resolved in the very near future," Wimhurst said here.

U.N. officials confirmed Monday that 157 U.N. peacekeepers taken hostage in this battle-scarred nation had been freed, in a much-needed boost both to the international mission here and to hopes that a logjam preventing a peace deal could soon end. Sunday's release of the captives--soldiers from a U.N. peacekeeping mission known as UNAMSIL--was secured by Liberian President Charles Taylor, previously known to be a sponsor of the rebel Revolutionary United Front.

Sierra Leone's feared rebel leader ordered rogue allies to free a group of hostages seized earlier this week and downplayed the threat the incident could pose to the West African country's fragile peace. Foday Sankoh's comments came as negotiators sought the release of about three dozen captured U.N. employees, aid workers, journalists and West African peacekeepers. Two hostages were freed Thursday night, including the only American.

One Indian U.N. peacekeeper was killed and seven peacekeepers were injured during the weekend raid to free more than 200 U.N. soldiers who were surrounded by rebels, the U.N. commander in Sierra Leone said. "We managed to extricate all the 233 peacekeepers, and in doing so we had one fatal casualty and seven injured," said Indian Gen. Vijay Kumar Jetley, the force commander. "This is the price we have to pay." U.N. officials previously had said that four peacekeepers were injured.

In a day of highs and lows for the U.N. peacekeeping mission, 29 captured peacekeepers were freed Monday in neighboring Liberia, but the remains of several men in U.N. uniforms were discovered by government forces northeast of here. United Nations spokesman David Wimhurst said the skeletal remains of about half a dozen men were found in U.N. uniforms bearing Zambian insignia. Several of the men had been shot in the head.

Heavily armed United Nations troops supported by helicopter gunships launched a rescue mission in the West African nation of Sierra Leone on Saturday to extract 233 of its peacekeepers who have spent two months at a base surrounded by rebel soldiers. Secretary-General Kofi Annan indicated that the operation was successful in its initial stage and that it was continuing through difficult terrain controlled by hostile members of the Revolutionary United Front, or RUF. Annan said 11 U.N.

The monthlong United Nations hostage drama ended Sunday when the U.N. reported that the last of more than 500 captured peacekeepers had arrived here safely after their release by rebels. The long-awaited resolution of the crisis removes a major obstacle in international efforts to revive the country's 10-month-old peace accord, which has been flouted by the rebels since early this month. The U.N.

At least 46 United Nations peacekeepers were freed Friday by Sierra Leonean rebels and sent to neighboring Liberia, and officials there said more were on the way. U.N. spokesman David Wimhurst said the latest releases raised expectations that the monthlong hostage crisis, which has rocked the troubled peacekeeping mission, was drawing to a close. "We are cautiously optimistic that this will be resolved in the very near future," Wimhurst said here.

In a day of highs and lows for the U.N. peacekeeping mission, 29 captured peacekeepers were freed Monday in neighboring Liberia, but the remains of several men in U.N. uniforms were discovered by government forces northeast of here. United Nations spokesman David Wimhurst said the skeletal remains of about half a dozen men were found in U.N. uniforms bearing Zambian insignia. Several of the men had been shot in the head.

They arrived here Sunday night under the cover of darkness, their sunken eyes and wobbly legs visible only in the flickering lights of a United Nations cargo plane. Some had no shoes. Others wore borrowed clothing. Three were taken away in an ambulance. In all, 54 soldiers, among more than 500 U.N. peacekeepers taken hostage by rebels in Sierra Leone this month, were flown back to U.N.

The Security Council decided Friday to add 2,000 soldiers to the peacekeeping force in Sierra Leone, where hundreds of U.N. troops have been held by rebels for more than two weeks. As the council considered further moves to reinforce the mission, it unanimously adopted a resolution expanding the 11,100-strong force to 13,000 to allow for troops that India, Bangladesh and Jordan have promised will arrive in the next few days.

Ninety-three exhausted Zambian and Kenyan U.N. peacekeepers, held hostage for two weeks in the bush by rebels in Sierra Leone, flew back to this government-controlled capital late Tuesday from neighboring Liberia. But there was no sign of progress in efforts to secure the release of about 350 U.N. troops of many nationalities still apparently being held by the Revolutionary United Front.

The Security Council decided Friday to add 2,000 soldiers to the peacekeeping force in Sierra Leone, where hundreds of U.N. troops have been held by rebels for more than two weeks. As the council considered further moves to reinforce the mission, it unanimously adopted a resolution expanding the 11,100-strong force to 13,000 to allow for troops that India, Bangladesh and Jordan have promised will arrive in the next few days.

Ninety-three exhausted Zambian and Kenyan U.N. peacekeepers, held hostage for two weeks in the bush by rebels in Sierra Leone, flew back to this government-controlled capital late Tuesday from neighboring Liberia. But there was no sign of progress in efforts to secure the release of about 350 U.N. troops of many nationalities still apparently being held by the Revolutionary United Front.

U.N. officials confirmed Monday that 157 U.N. peacekeepers taken hostage in this battle-scarred nation had been freed, in a much-needed boost both to the international mission here and to hopes that a logjam preventing a peace deal could soon end. Sunday's release of the captives--soldiers from a U.N. peacekeeping mission known as UNAMSIL--was secured by Liberian President Charles Taylor, previously known to be a sponsor of the rebel Revolutionary United Front.