Aid groups crossing Liberia's front lines

MONROVIA, Liberia - Starving crowds gathered in Liberia's war-divided capital Friday, stuffing leaves into their mouths to quell their hunger as aid agencies pressed for opening of humanitarian routes. Fighting surged in cities outside Monrovia.

Aid groups and U.S. diplomats used a four-day break in fighting in the capital to cross front lines for the first time, with U.S. Embassy workers escorted by West African troops rescuing a 7-year-old American-Liberian girl trapped on the rebel side by fighting.

Embassy workers in bulletproof vests crossed the New Bridge to bring back 7-year-old Shadya, a girl in a white dress with a puffy white bow in her hair.

The American-born girl's mother is in the United States; her father is unknown. A 17-year-old sister came along Friday as a guardian.

Asked where she was going, the girl looked up and said, "America."

The uneasy truce in the capital held no sway in Buchanan, Liberia's second-largest city, where residents reported fighting that prompted 8,000 civilians to take refuge in a Roman Catholic convent. In the north, rebels claimed to have retaken Gbarnga, former stronghold of President Charles Taylor.

Rebels are driving home a 3-year-old war to oust Taylor, a former warlord blamed for 14 years of near-constant war in Liberia.

Under U.S. and West African pressure, Taylor has pledged to resign Monday and leave Liberia. He chose Vice President Moses Blah to complete his term.

Although many people express doubt Taylor will willingly leave power, or Liberia, diplomats spoke Friday of Taylor possibly departing as soon as Monday, escorted into exile in Nigeria by fellow West African heads of state.

Taylor's spokesman, Vaani Passawe, confirmed South African President Thabo Mbeki and Ghanaian President John Kufuor were among those expected to attend Taylor's resignation ceremony. Liberian authorities refused comment on how soon after Taylor would leave.

Taylor has insisted a U.N.-Sierra Leone court drop a war crimes indictment against him for involvement in a vicious civil war in Sierra Leone - a demand prosecutors show no sign of meeting.

The International Red Cross and Medecins Sans Frontieres used the break in fighting in Monrovia to cross the front lines for the first time Friday since at least July 19, when rebels initiated their siege.

Aid workers took medical supply kits to makeshift hospitals in rebel territory, where war wounded, cholera victims and others have been without antibiotics or painkillers.

International Committee of the Red Cross officials said they hoped both sides would open Monrovia's divided lines to refugees and aid.

"But speaking to political representatives is one thing. Getting access on the ground is another," said Christoph Harnisch, head of the agency's sub-Saharan Africa division.

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