U.N. troops come under attack in Sierra Leone

FREETOWN, 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, said U.N. spokeswoman Marie Okabe.

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, said Okabe.

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.

The Sierra Leone mission - currently the largest U.N. peacekeeping operation - has been criticized for surrendering weapons and vehicles to the country's feared rebels and allowing hundreds of members to be taken hostage.

U.N. officials in Sierra Leone insist peacekeepers will not be drawn into an offensive war, but U.N. special representative Oluyemi Adeniji admitted Friday that a ''more robust response'' was required. He did not elaborate.

The Revolutionary United Front rebels killed tens of thousands of civilians and intentionally maimed many more during the West African country's eight-year civil war.

The rebels signed a peace accord last July in nearby Lome, Togo, but reignited the conflict in early May, when they captured 500 U.N. personnel and advanced to within 25 miles of Freetown.

Pro-government forces have since been pushing the rebels back from the capital. The hostages were released after several weeks in captivity, but none of the stolen weapons or vehicles have been returned.

Many Sierra Leoneans, terrified of a possible rebel attack on Freetown, have pleaded for a strong military response by the international community. So far, the U.N. peacekeeping mission has used force infrequently, and only when attacked.

Sporadic gunfire was reported overnight in the area of Port Loko, about 45 miles northeast of the capital, U.N. officials said Friday.

Pro-government soldiers also fired a few rounds in Freetown, but were believed to be drunk at the time, U.N. officials said. No fighting was reported.

It was unclear Friday who controlled the strategic town of Lunsar, some 60 miles east of Freetown.

Pro-government soldiers retreated from Lunsar on Wednesday, just days after taking the town from the RUF, but aerial photographs suggested the rebels might also have pulled out, U.N. officials said.

A delegation of West African leaders is expected next week to try and broker a new cease-fire.