U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

                  BUREAU FOR HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE (BHR)         
             OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)   

             
                       LIBERIA - Complex Emergency 

Fact Sheet # 7                  April 19, 1996 1700 EDT

Background:  On April 6, 1996, fighting in Monrovia erupted
between two armed factions, Charles Taylor's National Patriotic
Front of Liberia (NPFL), and Roosevelt Johnson's wing of the
United Liberation Movement for Democracy in Liberia
(ULIMO-Krahn).  Other Krahn factions subsequently joined Johnson.

The fighting comes in the wake of scattered skirmishes that
followed the signing of the Abuja Accord, a comprehensive
peace agreement among leaders of the main warring factions in
Liberia on August 19, 1995.  The accord came afternearly six
years of civil war, in which more than 150,000 Liberians died,
about 725,000 fled the country as refugees, and 800,000 became
internally displaced.

In thirteen days of fighting, the NPFL and ULIMO-Krahn have
looted and burned the city.  All United Nations(U.N.) agencies,
international organizations (IO), and non-governmental
organizations (NGO) compounds have been looted.  There are no
reliable estimates of casualties.  Factional warfare has spread
upcountry, including Bong Mines and Greenville.  U.S. military
helicopters have evacuated over 2,000 Americans and foreigners
since April 10.  The remaining three staff members of the
European Union Aid Coordination Office in Liberia were evacuated
today.  Evacuations continue on a limited basis as needed.

Current Humanitarian Situation:  The fighting has displaced at
least 100,000 people, of which 7,000 - 15,000 have taken refuge
in the Greystone compound of the U.S. Embassy.   There is
movement in and out of the compound during the day; however,
people return at night for a secure place to sleep.   The U.S.
Embassy delivered 90 metric tons (MT) of food to displaced camps,
orphanages, and churches in Monrovia on April 18 for a total of
approximately 255 MT of World Food Program (WFP) food delivered
in and around Monrovia since April 10.  Food distribution
continues to be endangered by looting and insecurity.

USAID/BHR/OFDA's Disaster Assistance Response Team  (DART)
assessed the needs of the Greystone inhabitants today. The team
reports that the Liberian Red Cross, with a staff of two doctors
and two nurses, has treated seven cases of severe diarrhea, four
of which resulted in death.  The well on the compound, the only
source of water, has been contaminated by human waste.  Potable
water and proper sanitation are desperately needed.  The DART is
organizing the installation of latrines and preparing to
chlorinate the water in the contaminated well.

Some 2,000 new refugees have been reported arriving in Cote
d'Ivoire, a result of skirmishes east of Gbarnga between the NPFL
and the Liberian Peace Council (LPC), another warring faction. 
The United Nations Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Office in
Liberia (UNHACO) conducted a limited assessment mission on April
16 to begin to locate and register internally displaced persons
and vulnerable groups in Monrovia.

Looting could imperil the primary source of food supplies, which
are in WFP and Catholic Relief Services(CRS) warehouses in the
port area of Monrovia.  WFP warehouses currently contain almost
23,000 MT of foodcommodities, and CRS has 6,350 MT in its
warehouse.  CRS agreed that WFP may draw down on its foodstocks
if necessary.  The port is at present secured by troops from the
Economic Community of West African States' Military Observer
Group (ECOMOG).

In the Barclay Training Center (BTC) in Monrovia, there are
approximately 15,000 - 20,000 civilians, armed members of
ULIMO-Krahn, and the Armed Forces of Liberia, a contending
faction.   Lebanese civilians and ECOMOG personnel are reportedly
held hostage by fighters.  All are besieged by NPFL fighters. 
Reportedly, approximately 150 deaths in BTC have been attributed
to diarrheal diseases.

U.S. Government (USG) FY 1996 Humanitarian Assistance:  

Total OFDA Assistance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$3,729,948
Other USG Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$61,347,425

TOTAL USG FY 1996 Humanitarian Assistance (to date). .$65,077,373