New Fighting in Liberia After Ex-President Goes Into ExileBy SOMINI SENGUPTA
MONROVIA, Liberia, Aug. 12 - The day after its lightning-rod president, Charles G. Taylor, left the country, one set of his rebel enemies agreed to an American proposal to open up the vital Free Port of Monrovia, as another clashed anew with government soldiers in the southeast.
Today's developments brought home the difficulties of ushering in peace in Liberia, let alone some degree of normalcy for this destitute country. It also raised the specter of disagreement between the two rebel factions, now that their common enemy has left.
Squeezed by an arms embargo, a war crimes indictment and relentless rebel attacks, Mr. Taylor resigned and went into exile in Nigeria on Monday. Mr. Taylor, who had been a rebel leader for seven years before becoming president in 1997, handed power to his longtime ally and vice president, Moses Z. Blah.
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