SIERRA LEONE.

After exhausting every diplomatic and political means to free its detained peacekeepers, the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) on 17 July staged a rescue operation, bringing to safety the 222 peacekeepers and 11 military observers surrounded at Kailahun and the 21 peacekeepers held hostage at Pendembu for over two months by the Revolutionary United Front (RUE) rebels. One peacekeeper was killed and six others were wounded. SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan welcomed the operation's successful completion and commended all military staff and troops engaged in the rescue. The military operation was seen as "inevitable" given increasing threats and the worsening food and medical situation of the detainees.

On 21 June, the Security Council and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) jointly condemned the continued hostilities of the rebels. The Lome Agreement had been flouted by the violation of the ceasefire, the attacks on UNAMSIL and the taking of hostages, and "those identified as responsible should be brought to justice", the Council President said. The United Nations is currently studying a request from the Government of Sierra Leone to establish a tribunal to try RUF leader Foday Sankoh.

UNAMSIL's current strength stands at 12,394, with the arrival of additional troops from Bangladesh.

The World Food Programme on 20 June warned that fighting in the northern and eastern parts of the country was causing large-scale displacement of civilians and disrupting food and relief aid deliveries. On 26 June, UNAMSIL reinforced key positions around the town of Mile 91, where an estimated 35,000 civilians have gathered to escape the fighting. Overall, UN agencies and international organizations have registered roughly 92,000 newly displaced persons since the fighting resumed in May. The largest concentrations are found in the Port Loko District, Tonkolili District and the Western Area.