The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees has appealed to Liberian rebels to release five nurses abducted during an attack on the Sinje refugee camp near the Sierra Leonean border early Thursday, spokesman Kris Janowski said.  The Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy confirmed that they were holding the nurses, all of whom are Liberians with the local nongovernmental relief group MERCI, a UNHCR partner (U.N. release, June 21).  

According to Associated Press, two government soldiers, one rebel and one civilian died during the four-hour attack (Jonathan Paye-Layleh, AP, June 21).  The attack on Sinje, located 80 kilometers northeast of the capital Monrovia, sent the camp's 11,000 Sierra Leonean refugees and 8,000 displaced Liberians fleeing, along with 4,000 to 5,000 residents of the adjacent town, UNHCR said. 

A rebel commander identifying himself as General Skeleton said the nurses were being taken to the rebel stronghold of Voinjama, near Liberia's border with Guinea.  One of the nurses was allowed to speak on the ambulance radio and said she and the others were being treated well.

Thursday morning, UNHCR had contacted the camp by radio and advised NGO workers and refugees to evacuate after staff heard heavy gunfire.  Across the border in Zimmi, Sierra Leone, UNHCR staff were on standby for a possible influx of refugees from the Sinje camp.

The repatriation of Sierra Leonean refugees had been previously delayed due to the resurgence of fighting in Liberia, and the UNHCR is now considering sea transport to carry those among the 35,000 Sierra Leonean refugees who wish to return home (UNHCR release, June 21).