Nigerian naval bombardment of Freetown
January 2nd, 2009 From
>Date: Mon, 02 Jun 1997 11:34:54 -0700
>From: Mike Potter
>Reply-To: mike.potter@artecon.com
>Organization: Artecon, Inc.
>X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01Gold (WinNT; I)
>To: mahan@microwrks.com
>Subject: Nigerian naval bombardment of Freetown
>Precendence: bulk
>Sender: mahan-owner@microworks.net
>
>Nigerian naval bombardment of Freetown kills at least 10, Red Cross says
>________________________________________________________________________
>
>Copyright (c) 1997 Nando.net
>Copyright (c) 1997 Agence France-Presse
>
>FREETOWN (June 2, 1997 12:49 p.m. EDT) – The Nigerian naval bombardment
>of Freetown on Monday morning killed at least 10 people, a Red Cross
>worker told AFP, while witnesses said the dead included a two-year-old
>child.
>
>Some 20 people were injured in the bombardment, witnesses said.
>
>”It was a pathetic sight as many lay crying for first aid. We did our
>best and counted over 10 corpses both from the barracks and other sites
>in the vicinity,” said a Red Cross worker at the scene of the shelling.
>
>The 10 died when shells fired by a Nigerian vessel anchored in an
>estuary off the coast of Freetown early Monday morning landed at various
>sites, including a military barracks housing women and children,
>witnesses said.
>
>”A shell fell on the roof of one of the buildings, instantly killing a
>two-year-old child and injuring two others,” one witness said.
>
>”The barracks was in a commotion. It seemed that it was targeted as four
>to five other shells fell into the barracks. There were children
>screaming and mothers rushing barefooted with children on their backs,”
>another witness told AFP.
>
>Ambulances took the injured to the main hospital in the capital, where
>an AFP correspondent saw five bodies, victims of the shelling.
>
>”We are battling to save the lives of some of those who were brought in.
>Some had excessive bleeding from shrapnel wounds mainly to the head and
>body, ” said a doctor at the hospital.
>
>News of the fatalities spread through the city as hundreds of
>Freetowners took to the streets, to demonstrate against what is seen as
>a Nigerian attempt to force the junta, which seized power here May 25 to
>hand control of the country back to ousted civilian elected President
>Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.
>
>Kabbah fled to Guinea during the coup.
>
>The demonstrators shouted “Down with Nigeria” and “We shall fight to the
>death to resist Nigeria’s occupation forces.”
>
>Hundreds of Nigerian peacekeeping troops flooded into Sierra Leone after
>the coup.
>
>Dozens of former rebel combatants, now all allied with the regular army,
>stood and fired volleys of shots in the air as the demonstrators chanted
>themselves into a frenzy.
>
>Sierra Leoneans in the streets spoke in anger when asked what they
>thought of the Nigerian attack.
>
>”Their action has now ended the friendly relationship, that has existed
>between the two countries.” said a businessman.
>
>An attempt to orchestrate a similar demonstration in the southern city
>of Bo failed when most residents elected to stay indoors, witnesses
>there said.
>
>Meanwhile, central Freetown was calm mid-afternoon Monday and Nigerian
>troops were seen patrolling the streets.
>
>Despite the presence of scores of Sierra Leonean troops also in downtown
>streets, no clashes were reported.
>
> -= END OF MESSAGE =-