(8 May 2000) English/Nat

British troops have moved into strife-torn Sierra Leone to prepare for a possible evacuation of Britons and other foreign nationals

An advance force of the First Battalion of Paratroopers arrived in Freetown by plane from neighbouring Senegal.

They will prepare for the possible evacuation of British, European and Commonwealth citizens.

British troops arrived in Sierra Leone on Monday as preparations gathered pace for the emergency evacuation of foreign citizens.

The deployment followed a week of clashes between rebels and U-N peacekeepers that have threatened to throw the West African nation into chaos.

The arrival of the paratroopers came as violence broke out between rebel soldiers and demonstrators in the capital, Freetown.

At least four people were killed and dozens injured when rebel soldiers guarding rebel leader Foday Sankoh's home fired into a crowd of about five-thousand demonstrators who hurled rocks and bricks at the house.

Dozens of U-N peacekeepers soldiers guarding the house appeared completely overwhelmed by the crowds.

Rebel fighters, standing behind the United Nations forces, fired through the U-N ranks, spraying the crowd with automatic weapons and at least one rocket-propelled grenade.

There are around 500 British citizens in Sierra Leone who might need to be evacuated, along with 400 nationals from Commonwealth and E-U nations and 50 Americans for whom Britain has responsibility.

British diplomats ordered the start of the evacuation of non-essential personnel on Monday.

SOUNDBITE (English)
"It has become clear over the last few days the situation has deteriorated. We have been sent here by the British government in order to facilitate the evacuation of non-combatant civilians and we have come here to do that."
SUPER CAPTION: British Army Captain (would not give name)

A Hercules carrying about 250 British troops from the 1st Battalion of the Parachute Regiment arrived at the airport at Lungi outside Freetown earlier in the day.

In all, some 700 troops are expected to be in place by the end of Tuesday.

The aircraft carrier H-M-S Illustrious has also been diverted from operations and is steaming toward the west African country along with a helicopter carrier and other Royal Navy ships in a massive show of force.

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