TUESDAY, 8.30AM
NIGERIAN ships shelled Freetown yesterday from daybreak until lunchtime, reportedly killing about 20 civilians. The coup leaders, backed by rebels, continued their attack on the seafront hotel (see below) where about a thousand foreigners have taken refuge, under guard from Nigerian soldiers. The rebels appear to suspect that a Nigerian attack will start at the hotel, which has a heliport on the roof. About 600 people were evacuated from the hotel last night after Red Cross officials negotiated a truce. The upper stories of the hotel were ablaze last night.
TUESDAY, 5.30PM
AFRICAN leaders attending the Organisation of African Unity congress in Harare, Zimbabwe, went into closed session late on Tuesday to consider options for dealing with last week’s coup in Sierra Leone. It is believed the leaders will consider sanctions and other actions. None has so far expressed support for Monday’s failed military intervention in Freetown by Nigerian peacekeepers.
Meanwhile, Reuters reports United States marines on Tuesday evacuated 1 217 foreigners, including about 20 Americans, from the troubled Sierra Leone capital, bringing to 2 500 the number of civilians evacuated since Friday.
“There have been no casualties. It has been a well-run operation. They are all out, off the beach now,” Defence Secretary William Cohen told reporters after the Marines completed their third round of evacuations since Friday to the US warship Kearsarge.