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CNN Live At Daybreak
Another Day of Violence in Monrovia, Liberia
Aired July 25, 2003 - 06:22 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Dawn ushered in another day of violence in Monrovia, Liberia. Just after daybreak, heavy shelling broke out again, hitting a makeshift market filled with civilians.
"Time" magazine journalist Stephan Faris is not far from the area. We have him live on the phone from Monrovia.
What happened?
STEPHAN FARIS, "TIME" MAGAZINE REPORTER: Well, yes, we heard shelling here this morning quite close to the area we are in. We're not far from the American embassy. And apparently 11 people were killed, more civilian people who have been fleeing to this area to take shelter from this, from the fighting. But once again, the shelling reached them despite that.
COSTELLO: Do we know about casualties?
FARIS: About 11 people have been killed. At least 11 people have been killed, I should say. It's always hard to tell until all the bodies get brought to us, to where they need to be brought. Fourteen people have been injured, I'm told, as well. They've been going to the doctors at that Bolgers Hospital (ph) or to the Red Cross's hospital.
COSTELLO: Is it still just as dangerous around the U.S. Embassy there?
FARIS: Well, it's dangerous, but it's kind of a random danger. There really aren't troops in the street around here. We're actually far from the front line, which makes this shelling all quite sad. There's no reason to be shelling this area for any military reason and all you're really doing is killing civilians.
But it's a very random shelling. It can kind of come out of nowhere. And what's making it so dangerous for the people here is the population density. There's not very many places these shells can fall without hitting somebody.
COSTELLO: Charles Taylor has said many things, but I think the latest remarks he made was that he was going to step down within 10 days. Do you think that's really going to happen?
FARIS: It's very hard to tell with Charles Taylor. He has made these comments. I believe he's denied that comment now, that he's going to step down within 10 days. I suppose we're all just waiting to see what will happen. He's always said he will step down after the arrival of international peacekeepers. Those international peacekeepers have still yet to arrive, so it's pretty hard to hold him to his promise.
COSTELLO: Yes.
Stephan Faris, thanks for that update, and you be careful over that.
Stephan Faris from "Time" magazine talking to us live by phone from Monrovia, Liberia this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 25, 2003 - 06:22 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Dawn ushered in another day of violence in Monrovia, Liberia. Just after daybreak, heavy shelling broke out again, hitting a makeshift market filled with civilians.
"Time" magazine journalist Stephan Faris is not far from the area. We have him live on the phone from Monrovia.
What happened?
STEPHAN FARIS, "TIME" MAGAZINE REPORTER: Well, yes, we heard shelling here this morning quite close to the area we are in. We're not far from the American embassy. And apparently 11 people were killed, more civilian people who have been fleeing to this area to take shelter from this, from the fighting. But once again, the shelling reached them despite that.
COSTELLO: Do we know about casualties?
FARIS: About 11 people have been killed. At least 11 people have been killed, I should say. It's always hard to tell until all the bodies get brought to us, to where they need to be brought. Fourteen people have been injured, I'm told, as well. They've been going to the doctors at that Bolgers Hospital (ph) or to the Red Cross's hospital.
COSTELLO: Is it still just as dangerous around the U.S. Embassy there?
FARIS: Well, it's dangerous, but it's kind of a random danger. There really aren't troops in the street around here. We're actually far from the front line, which makes this shelling all quite sad. There's no reason to be shelling this area for any military reason and all you're really doing is killing civilians.
But it's a very random shelling. It can kind of come out of nowhere. And what's making it so dangerous for the people here is the population density. There's not very many places these shells can fall without hitting somebody.
COSTELLO: Charles Taylor has said many things, but I think the latest remarks he made was that he was going to step down within 10 days. Do you think that's really going to happen?
FARIS: It's very hard to tell with Charles Taylor. He has made these comments. I believe he's denied that comment now, that he's going to step down within 10 days. I suppose we're all just waiting to see what will happen. He's always said he will step down after the arrival of international peacekeepers. Those international peacekeepers have still yet to arrive, so it's pretty hard to hold him to his promise.
COSTELLO: Yes.
Stephan Faris, thanks for that update, and you be careful over that.
Stephan Faris from "Time" magazine talking to us live by phone from Monrovia, Liberia this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
