LIBERIA Rebels, forces battle for key area of port

After a large attack Monday, Liberians called for support from the United States.
MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) -- Desperate Liberians foraged for food and water during a lull in fighting downtown today while rebels and forces of President Charles Taylor battled for Monrovia's port area -- a key to controlling the devastated capital.
Fighting showed no sign of abating one day after a thunderous barrage of shells rained down on Monrovia. Defense Minister Daniel Chea said Monday's death toll was well over 600 people, after what appeared to be the bloodiest clashes in the past two months of the rebel push to oust Taylor.
Aid groups and hospitals have put the number of dead above 90 but say they expect the number to rise.
Covered by blue and gray plastic, bodies lay in the rain today outside the U.S. Embassy compound in Monrovia, dragged there by Liberians furious that American forces have not come to their rescue. After a shell hit the embassy Monday, U.S. Marines evacuated foreigners and aid workers.
Calling for help
In a phone interview with The Associated Press, Liberia's embattled president repeated his call for a promised West African peacekeeping force to arrive quickly to "bring some sanity" to this nation, founded in the 19th century by freed American slaves.
But Taylor said the best way to ensure stability was through American troops on the ground, in addition to the Marines guarding the U.S. Embassy.
"An American contingent would be excellent," he said.
His defense minister said that if the international community did not swiftly deploy peacekeeper, then a U.N. arms embargo should be lifted. The embargo was imposed to punish Taylor's regime for trading guns for diamonds with rebels in Sierra Leone.
Taylor said if the government could freely get arms, the international community "would not have to deploy anybody."
Rebels' third attempt
Monday's hail of mortars rocked residential neighborhoods along with two U.S. Embassy compounds in the rebels' third attempt to take Monrovia -- Taylor's last stronghold, as insurgents control about 60 percent of the country. An American journalist was among the injured.
U.S. helicopters landed in the Embassy compound in a driving rain Monday, dropping off about half of a 41-member Marine security team. The troops, sent to beef up security at the embassy, evacuated about 23 foreign humanitarian workers and journalists.
Clutching bags and backpacks, the evacuees ran to the spinning aircraft as Marines and embassy officials shouted: "Go! Go!" Among them were the United Nations' last seven foreign staffers, who had returned to Monrovia just two weeks earlier during a lull in fighting.
U.S. officials announced that 4,500 more American sailors and Marines have been ordered to position themselves closer to Liberia, if needed for an evacuation of Americans, peacekeeping or some other mission.
"We're concerned about our people," President Bush told reporters at his Texas ranch. He indicated he had not yet decided the size of a U.S. force that might be sent to help West African peacekeepers.
The State Department criticized the main rebel group, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, for "reckless and indiscriminate shooting" and appealed to neighboring African countries to guard against weapons going to Liberia.
Joe Wylie, a rebel delegate at peace talks in Ghana, said the government was also firing shells.
The rebels were "not responsible for shooting mortars into the embassy," Wylie said. "We have our backs to the U.S. Embassy. ... They [government forces] were shooting at us."
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