(20 May 1996) English/Nat

As fighting rages on the streets of Monrovia US Embassy soldiers are on alert to ensure the safety of the people sheltering inside.

The U-S Ambassador to Monrovia, William Milan, told A-P-T-V that life at the U-S embassy in Liberia was always difficult but is now much worse.

UPSOUND: Gunshots

As running street battles are played out on the streets of Monrovia, U-S troops inside the American Embassy compound go on alert to ensure they're not the victims of the fighting.

UPSOUND: Marine talking about fighter outside

On this occasion, the Marines are watching Krahn fighters who are loyal to faction leader Roosevelt Johnson, who's attempted arrest sparked the latest round of fighting.

The Krahn fighters here are trying to take on supporters of warlord Charles Taylor's National Patriotic Front.

The U-S Ambassador to Liberia says evacuations of foreigners continues.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"It's always been a difficult post, but it certainly is much more difficult now because of the confinement, because of the lack of a variety of food and because of the fact that we are constantly on guard. There is danger, there is no use denying that, people have to be careful, people do get worried when the gunfire comes close and so it's a very different existence than normally we would have even in this embassy which has been a danger post for a number of years."
SUPER CAPTION: William Milan, US Ambassador to Monrovia

While bullets have come into the compound from the fighting, the U-S Ambassador to Liberia says the fighters do not tend to target the U-S presence.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"When the fighters come close to the embassy they're very careful to signal their peaceful intentions towards us - carrying their guns pointed away from us, sometimes with one hand in the air so forth. So we are fairly confident that we're not in anyway a target of any hostile intent."
SUPER CAPTION: William Milan, US Ambassador to Monrovia

While the men go on alert as soon as shooting is heard, they say they do not get involved unless they are shot at or if weapons are pointed at them.

UPSOUND: Marine talking about man lingering

So for the most part, the Marines here just stay on alert, watching the fighting.

Fighting that is mostly by young men battling against other young men, faction against faction.

SOUNDBITE:
"We basically are observing anything that goes on outside the wall. The only time we fire - like we did last time - was when the forces get so excited between fire... fighting with each other that they actually started shooting at us and then we had to return fire in order to protect ourselves."
SUPER CAPTION: 1st Sergeant Larry Rosenfeld

Protecting the compound and their own lives may be a tough job for these Marines, but they still get some time to relax.

However, while some are taking it easy there's always someone else watching or patrolling to ensure the U-S flag keeps flying in Monrovia.

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