Liberian factions defy UN disarmament
Despite a delay of days, officials from the United Nations and West African peacekeeping forces remained confident that Liberia's two largest armed factions would begin disarming by the weekend in accord with a UN-brokered peace pact.
Implementation of the accord was also bogged down on the political side, where the country's three main factions disagreed over Cabinet posts in the new collective presidency.
The multinational West African peacekeeping forces were to begin disarming the rebel movement of Charles Taylor, a rival guerrilla army known as Ulimo, and the remnants of the Liberian National Army. Both rebel factions were reportedly frustrating the disarmament process.
The UN peace accord is aimed at ending four years of civil war that has killed an estimated 150,000 people. The coalition government assumed power Monday, and is to govern until free elections on Sept. 7.
