U.N. Troops, Rebels Fight In Sierra Leone

U.N. peacekeepers and rebels clashed in a firefight in the Sierra Leone bush Friday, U.N. officials said, after the world body announced its troops would take a tougher stand in the West African nation.

The peacekeepers were attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and returned fire with machine guns. There were no casualties, U.N. spokeswoman Marie Okabe said.

The exchange of fire took place as 400 Indian peacekeeping soldiers were deploying to Rogberi Junction, the scene of a May 6 battle between U.N. peacekeepers and rebels from the Revolutionary United Front, Okabe said.

After the brief attack, the rebels melted into the bush and the peacekeepers proceeded to Rogberi Junction, she said. It was the first time in more than 10 days that U.N. troops had a confrontation with RUF rebels, Okabe said at U.N. headquarters in New York.

Rogberi Junction, about 50 miles east of the capital Freetown, is about halfway between Port Loko and Lunsar, which is roughly the front line in fighting between government forces and the rebels, U.N. officials said.