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CNN Sunday Morning
Rebel Forces Lob Mortar Rounds Into Monrovia's Center
Aired July 20, 2003 - 09:06 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to West Africa, rebel forces are so close to Monrovia, they're lobbing mortar rounds into the city's center. Reporters in Liberia's capital describe it as a very dangerous city. One of those reporters, our own Jeff Koinange, who is outside the U.S. embassy now in Monrovia. He joins us live.
Jeff, hello to you.
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Heidi.
And I can tell you the fighting is intensifying even as we speak. And it's less than a mile from where I'm standing. We're actually inside the heavily fortified U.S. embassy compound right here, and embassy officials tell us to keep our jackets on and our helmets close by, because stray bullets are making their way over the embassy fence; mortars are falling about 20 yards outside the embassy compound.
So it's extremely fluid right now. We can tell you government forces are taking a pounding at this hour. Rebel forces continue to push in the area called Waterside, which is basically in central Monrovia, downtown Monrovia, and we understand that people continue to flee.
They're so used to the fighting for the last decade and a half, they've been fleeing again, once they hear mortar fire, small-arms fire, they just get up and leave.
We also tell you a local Liberian, working for the U.S. embassy, here at the compound was shot this morning. So, all is not safe, even right here where we are. The situation is extremely fluid. And we understand that also all flights have been canceled into Monrovia for today. And they will weigh that day to day.
Liberian President Charles Taylor says he'll fight till the very last man. It looks like the rebels are taking him up on his latest threat -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Jeff, I'm wondering if we can get a sense for the geography. You're at the embassy. How far is that from the executive mansion where these rebel fighters are apparently trying to go?
KOINANGE: That's right. I would say it's about two miles from where we're standing right now. All night long we could hear the heavy pounding of mortar fire, it was literally raining mortar fire. We could see some of it, it was like the Fourth of July almost. Bursts of light, and it was heading towards -- it looked like it was coming towards that executive mansion area, which was -- which is about two miles from where I am.
And the rebels continue to pound. It looks like they used the cease-fire to rearm and they got the momentum yesterday, as they pushed into the center of the town. Now it looks like they're continuing this fight all the way to the end, Heidi.
COLLINS: Do you have a sense, Jeff, of what they'll do if they do make their way to the executive mansion?
KOINANGE: Well, we don't know yet, Heidi. It's anyone's call right now. The government says they'll fight to the very last man. The rebels said they'll fight until they get the capital itself. They want to secure the capital. Once they secure the capital the rest -- since the rebels control about 65 percent of the country, the rest will fall like dominoes. Monrovia is the prize. Once they get Monrovia, then they've gotten Liberia -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Jeff Koinange live in 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 20, 2003 - 09:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to West Africa, rebel forces are so close to Monrovia, they're lobbing mortar rounds into the city's center. Reporters in Liberia's capital describe it as a very dangerous city. One of those reporters, our own Jeff Koinange, who is outside the U.S. embassy now in Monrovia. He joins us live.
Jeff, hello to you.
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Heidi.
And I can tell you the fighting is intensifying even as we speak. And it's less than a mile from where I'm standing. We're actually inside the heavily fortified U.S. embassy compound right here, and embassy officials tell us to keep our jackets on and our helmets close by, because stray bullets are making their way over the embassy fence; mortars are falling about 20 yards outside the embassy compound.
So it's extremely fluid right now. We can tell you government forces are taking a pounding at this hour. Rebel forces continue to push in the area called Waterside, which is basically in central Monrovia, downtown Monrovia, and we understand that people continue to flee.
They're so used to the fighting for the last decade and a half, they've been fleeing again, once they hear mortar fire, small-arms fire, they just get up and leave.
We also tell you a local Liberian, working for the U.S. embassy, here at the compound was shot this morning. So, all is not safe, even right here where we are. The situation is extremely fluid. And we understand that also all flights have been canceled into Monrovia for today. And they will weigh that day to day.
Liberian President Charles Taylor says he'll fight till the very last man. It looks like the rebels are taking him up on his latest threat -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Jeff, I'm wondering if we can get a sense for the geography. You're at the embassy. How far is that from the executive mansion where these rebel fighters are apparently trying to go?
KOINANGE: That's right. I would say it's about two miles from where we're standing right now. All night long we could hear the heavy pounding of mortar fire, it was literally raining mortar fire. We could see some of it, it was like the Fourth of July almost. Bursts of light, and it was heading towards -- it looked like it was coming towards that executive mansion area, which was -- which is about two miles from where I am.
And the rebels continue to pound. It looks like they used the cease-fire to rearm and they got the momentum yesterday, as they pushed into the center of the town. Now it looks like they're continuing this fight all the way to the end, Heidi.
COLLINS: Do you have a sense, Jeff, of what they'll do if they do make their way to the executive mansion?
KOINANGE: Well, we don't know yet, Heidi. It's anyone's call right now. The government says they'll fight to the very last man. The rebels said they'll fight until they get the capital itself. They want to secure the capital. Once they secure the capital the rest -- since the rebels control about 65 percent of the country, the rest will fall like dominoes. Monrovia is the prize. Once they get Monrovia, then they've gotten Liberia -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Jeff Koinange live in 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
