Captors of British Soldiers Make Demands

F R E E T O W N, Sierra Leone, Aug. 27, 2000 -- Renegade soldiers holding 11 British soldiers and one Sierra Leonean soldier have demanded food, medicine and the release of one of their leaders from prison in return forfreeing their captives, Sierra Leone officials said today.

One senior government official said negotiations were underway with the West Side Boys, a group of soldiers from the former Sierra Leone army that claims allegiance to the military junta that ruled the country in 1997-98.

“The West Side Boys are making demands for the immediate release of one of their leaders … who has been detained at the central prison in Freetown for almost two months,” said another Sierra Leone government official, who also declined to be named. The prisoner is known as “Bomb Blast” or “General Papa,” he said.

The soldiers were seized Friday around the town of Masiaka, about 60 miles east of Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, British officials said. British, Sierra Leone and United Nations troops are searching intensively for them, military sources said.

‘We Believe They Are Well’

A radio message received from the group Saturday indicatedthey were being held against their will, a Ministry of Defensespokesman in London said.

“We believe they are all well,” the spokesman said oncondition of anonymity.

The British troops were stationed at Benguema, about 25 mileseast of Freetown, where British instructors are training SierraLeonean army recruits. They were accompanied by a governmentsoldier, who was acting as their guide and is also believed tohave been captured.

A U.S. official characterized the West Side Boys as a “bunch of thugs,” and said authorities are “very concerned.”

A Fragile Coalition Against Rebels

Until June, the West Side Boys were part of a fragile pro-government alliance fighting Sierra Leone’s feared Revolutionary United Front rebels. But the faction had a falling out with the authorities after they allegedly attacked other pro-government fighters and conducted a spree of carjackings, robberies and rapes.

Since Sierra Leone’s civil war began in 1991, the rebels havesystematically killed and maimed tens of thousands of people in anattempt to gain control of the government and the country’slucrative diamond-mining regions. They have abandoned three peacetreaties, the latest signed in July of last year.

Britain sent 1,000 soldiers to Freetown when the RUF rebelsreignited the conflict in May, seizing 500 U.N. peacekeepers andadvancing toward the capital. While the troops ostensibly went toevacuate foreigners and secure the airport, their presence did muchto stabilize the situation.

The hostages were eventually released and a successful rescueoperation was mounted to free 233 other U.N. troops surrounded inrebel territory. Meanwhile, a ragtag alliance of pro-governmentforces, backed by Britain, began pushing the rebels away fromFreetown.

When the British forces withdrew in mid-June, they left behindsoldiers to train Sierra Leone army recruits. Britain has alsodonated arms and equipment and sent military advisers.

ABCNEWS’ Josh Gertstein contributed to this report.