Rebel leader says troops are closing in

Описание: (27 Feb 2004)
1. Rebels at base
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Guy Philippe, Haitian rebel leader:
"We also have (forces in the town of) Jeremie (approx 300 kilometres west of Port Au Prince). That started this morning. They took some places and are marching to the police station. I just talked to them and by tonight Jeremie will be under (rebel) control."
3. Philippe showing map explaining that the area will be under the control of the rebels
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Guy Philippe, Haitian rebel leader:
"Port Au Prince will be very hard to take. A lot of fight and a lot of death so we want desperation first and that is what we are doing, closing the circle."
5. Philippe showing map
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Guy Philippe, Haitian rebel leader:
"We want to block Port Au Prince totally so we are going to send two boats here to stop the big boats coming from Miami with food and gasoline and make they come here to the Cap (Cap Haitien) and not Port Au Prince."

STORYLINE:
Rebels who have overrun half of Haiti said they were about to seize another town on Friday, and that they were closing in on the capital Port Au Prince as President Jean-Bertrand Aristide appealed in vain for foreign peacekeepers.

Speaking from his base in the northern port of Cap-Haitien, rebel commander Guy Philippe told reporters that his forces had taken control of parts of the town of Jeremie -- approximately 300 kilometres west of Port Au Prince).

Philippe said his fighters were within 15 kilometers (10 miles) of the capital''''''''s Croix-des-Bouquets suburb, awaiting the order to attack if Aristide did not resign.

But in Port-au-Prince, armed Aristide loyalists set up more blazing barricades to protect the National Palace, the presidential residence.

Both the US and France have made it clear they will not be sending in peacekeepers before a political settlement is reached between Aristide and opposition politicians.

Haiti''''''''s rebellion erupted on February 5 in western Gonaives, the fourth-largest city, and on Sunday the second largest, the northern port of Cap-Haitien, fell with little resistance.

About 80 people, half of them police officers, have been killed in the rebellion, which was launched by a street gang in Gonaives that says it was armed by Aristide to terrorise opponents.

Haiti''''''''s crisis has brewed since Aristide''''''''s party swept flawed legislative elections in 2000 and international donors froze millions of dollars in aid.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...