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In the 19th century, Britain established a refuge for freed slaves in Sierra Leone, where they adopted the name "Creole" and began to build a new life. However, the indigenous people rejected their presence, setting the stage for centuries of conflict. The country's history was marked
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British soldiers with the First Royal Irish Regiment were being held hostage by an unknown armed group in Sierra Leone, officials said. Eleven soldiers on a routine liaison visit were seized while driving in a convoy, and one of them managed to make contact with the base, reporting that all
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A significant shift in American foreign policy has occurred following an agreement by Senator Judd Gregg to release $50 million in funds for UN peacekeeping missions in Sierra Leone. The funds were initially blocked by Senator Gregg due to his objections over the Lome accord, a peace agreement signed by
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In a surprising turn of events, the British troops who arrived in Sierra Leone last month to prop up a United Nations peacekeeping force on the verge of collapse are set to leave the country in mid-June. The 14-member team of Royal Marines, part of the 800-strong British force, will
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British Defense Secretary Geoffrey Hoon announced on Friday that the country is on track to withdraw its troops from Sierra Leone by mid-June, despite a plea from the president of the West African country, Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, for them to stay. This decision comes as the British paratroopers who were
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At least five people were killed and several others were wounded in an ambush by rebels from the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) in Sierra Leone. Two Western journalists, an American and a Spaniard, were among those killed in the attack, alongside three Sierra Leone government troops. Two other foreign journalists,
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Sierra Leone is embroiled in a decade-long war that has seen tens of thousands of people murdered or mutilated. The war is fueled by the culture of impunity, which has led to the regression of the country's military. According to Colonel Michael Dumbuya, the commander of Sierra Leone&
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The United Nations Security Council has increased the number of troops deployed in Sierra Leone to 13,000, with potential further expansions in the coming weeks. This decision was necessitated by the arrival of reinforcements from Bangladesh, Jordan, and India, which pushed the force above its original limit of 11,
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The UK is maintaining its presence in Sierra Leone, despite growing opposition fears of "mission creep". Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon has stated that British troops will stay no longer than necessary, while the government's chief opponent, Charles Taylor, is negotiating for financial aid and an end
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Prime Minister Jean Chretien has announced that Canada will provide technical assistance to UN peacekeepers in Sierra Leone, while ruling out the deployment of Canadian ground troops. Canadian officials have also pledged to provide 1,700 helmets and 1,700 flak jackets for the UN Mission in Sierra Leone. In
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The deployment of a naval amphibious taskforce off the west African coast has raised questions about the extent of British military involvement in Sierra Leone, despite denials of "mission creep" by the government. British troops have been in the country for several months, and the arrival of a
Sierra Leone
The UN peacekeeping mission in Sierra Leone, known as Unamsil, has been marred by a series of failures, including the recent hostage-taking of 500 UN peacekeepers by a rebel group. The capture was a result of the peacekeepers' lack of preparation, equipment, and training, as well as their being
