Sierra Leone rebel leader captured

Stripped naked by his captors, Sierra Leone's notorious rebel chief Foday Sankoh was seized by pro-government troops, prompting spontaneous street celebrations Wednesday in the capital of this war-weary nation.

Sankoh, whose rebel group has killed thousands and terrorized civilians in this impoverished West African nation, was delivered to government defense headquarters early Wednesday morning, said British Lt. Cmdr. Tony Cramp, spokesman for the British forces in the country.

At the request of Sierra Leone, a British helicopter flew Sankoh to the nearby Lungi Airport. Britain then transported Sankoh to a "secure location," and he was being held by the Sierra Leone authorities, Cramp said.

Pro-government forces captured the rebel leader and then stripped the portly, bearded Sankoh to humiliate him as he was taken to defense headquarters, the British officer said.

The British troops are in Sierra Leone to assist with the troubled U.N. peacekeeping mission. Pro-government troops and allied militias have been battling the rebels, and it was not immediately clear which faction seized Sankoh, or where he was taken.

As word of Sankoh's capture spread through the capital, civilians rushed into the streets to rejoice. Government soldiers armed with rocket launchers and automatic rifles chased away the crowd and maintained a heavy presence in front of the defense compound.

"The masses must decide what to do with him," said S.K. Shyly, an engineer who drove to the compound when he heard the news.

"But I say he is not fit to exist," Shyly added. "He made the people of this country suffer for nine years."

Asked what would happen to Sankoh, government spokesman Septimus Kai Kai said: "A lot of these things are being sorted out now. Our main concern now is that we can ... bring peace to our country."

In another development Wednesday, British troops killed three rebels from the Revolutionary United Front in a firefight at an important road junction 10 miles east of Freetown's airport, according to a statement released by British Prime Minister Tony Blair's office.

The British forces, who responded after coming under fire, suffered no casualties, though one Sierra Leonean woman was injured, the statement said.

"It was all within the robust rules of engagement," the statement said. Britain has insisted its forces are only backing up U.N. troops and will not get sucked into the civil war.

Sankoh disappeared last week when thousands of demonstrators opposed to him gathered in front of his home in Freetown. Sankoh's rebel fighters opened fire on the civilians. Nineteen people were killed.

Since then, there were daily rumors on Sankoh's whereabouts. Some said he had fled to rebel strongholds in the interior, others said he had slipped into neighboring Liberia. There were also reports that he had suffered a heart attack, or was dead.

Sierra Leone's fragile 10-month peace accord unraveled this month when the rebels seized 500 U.N. peacekeepers and attacked U.N. and pro-government forces.

Sankoh has been widely blamed clear whether the rebels would respond to Sankoh's capture with cooperation or confrontation with the U.N. mission.

Liberian President Charles Taylor helped negotiate the release of 139 U.N. hostages over the weekend. Late Tuesday, 93 of the former captives were flown from the Liberian capital, Monrovia, to the Freetown airport.

Oluyemi Adeniji, the U.N. special representative to Sierra Leone, welcomed them back, saying their contribution to the peacekeeping mission would continue, according to U.N. spokesman David Wimhurst.

"They will rest up, wash, feed, have a good night's sleep," and return to their national commanders on Wednesday, Wimhurst said.

Seventy-nine were Zambians and 14 were Kenyans. While one came off the plane on crutches and at least two were bandaged, none appeared seriously injured.

The remainder of the freed hostages are in the remote Liberian border town of Foya, but were expect to be flown to Monrovia on Wednesday.

Taylor, who has close ties to the rebels, said a team of Liberian negotiators was trying to secure the release of the remaining 350 U.N. captives, most of whom are believed to be Zambian. The talks were taking place at a rebel base in Sierra Leone, he said.

Up to 40 of the peacekeepers still held by the rebels are languishing with illnesses and injuries, including gunshot wounds, Taylor said. There was no word on the seriousness of their ailments.

During their eight-year campaign against the government, the rebels killed tens of thousands of people and mutilated and dismembered many more in a bid to gain power through intimidation.