THOUSANDS of extra UN troops are preparing from Monday to head to Sierra Leone, where rebels are believed to be still holding around 270 of their colleagues hostage as efforts are made to put a stop to renewed civil war in the country. The reinforcements are the result of the United Nations taking a hard line with the rebels in the wake of the collapse of last year’s peace process. The UN Security Council authorised last Wednesday boosting Unamsil’s strength from 11000 to 13000 and diplomats say UN Secretary General Kofi Annan will in the next few days recommend reinforcing it further, up to 16000 troops. The deployment puts the rebel Revolutionary United Front under increased pressure to fall back in line with the peace pact, which is being supervised by the UN mission to Sierra Leone, Unamsil.