Guinean rebels enter southern town; many people killed

CONAKRY, Guinea (Reuters) -- Armed insurgents in Guinea entered a major town near the southern border with Liberia this week and many people were killed before the army drove the attackers out, official, army and humanitarian sources said Thursday.

The rebels first attacked Gueckedou on Tuesday and managed to enter the town Wednesday, the sources said.

"This has been the biggest battle we've fought with the insurgents since September," one military source said.

Guinea's government says more than 600 people have been killed in similar attacks since September. It accuses Liberia and Burkina Faso of supporting the dissidents.

Liberia in turn accuses Guinea of harboring rebels who have fought government troops in northern Liberia since July.

The sources said the rebels burned down government buildings and company offices in Gueckedou, destroyed vehicles and cut down telephone lines.

A source at the United Nations UNHCR refugee agency said its offices in the town were burned down and eight of its vehicles destroyed.

Thousands of civilians fled into the bush. The death toll is not known but humanitarian sources said many bodies were lying in the street.

Security sources said Tuesday that at least 10 people had been killed in raids on settlements in the same area.

Humanitarian workers said tens of thousands of refugees would be moved from camps near the border because of continuing violence and instability in the area.

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