LIBERIA: FOUR-WAY MILITARY FACE-OFF

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06861497
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: September 3, 2020
• Case Number: F-2017-02018
• Publication Date: September 14, 1990

Approved for Release: 2020/09/01 C06861497
Directorate of
Intelligence
MASTER ALE COPY
110 NOT GIVE OUT
OH MARK ON
Africa Review
14 September 1990
ALA AR 90-021
14 September 1990
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Africa Review
14 September 1990
Page
Articles
Liberia: Four-Way Military Faci-off
The battle for Monrovia is likely to continue until One of the three rival
Liberian military forces is able to gain a decisive upperhand or the
West African regional xacelceeping force asserts itself to impose
order
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ALA AR % -021
14 September 1990
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Africa Review
Articles
Liberia:
Face-off
Military
The battle for Monrovia.is likely to continue until one of
the three rival Liberian military forces is able to gain a
decisive upperhand or the West African regional
peacekeeping force asserts itself to impose order. The
volatile Prince Johnson has moved quickly against
government troops demoralized by President Doe's
death, but he must still contend with rebel foe Charles
Taylor, who also has "declared war" on the
peacekeepers
Military Maneuvering
Johnson's faction, the smallest and least well-armed of
the three Liberian forces, is the most aggressive.
Operating freely within the peacekeeping force's area of
nominal control on Bushrod Island and in small pockets
of downtown Monrovia, the group has been effectively
shielded from Taylor's assaults. Buoyed by their shoot-
out that led to Doe's death, Johnson's troops are easily
occupying government-held positions, including the
Defense Ministry, and are attacking Doe's Army
remnantg holding out at the Executive Mansion and the
Barclay Training Center.
Unity among dwindling government troops is quickly
collapsing as soldiers caught outside the Mansion have
gone into hiding to escape retribution. Infighting also
has increased as Doe's fellow Krahns have executed
non-Krahn officers accused of facilitating his demise.
The several hundred well-armed Krahn soldiers at the
Mansion, fearful of their fate, probably are willing Co
fight to the death
Meanwhile, Taylor's group, the largest and best-armed
Liberian force, has suffered from eroding cohesion and
public credibility since arriving in Monrovia's suburbs
two months ago. Although his troops are pressing the
Army at the Mansion, Taylor has failed to make good on
threats to take the capital�including repeated claims
that he would soon�and is unable to control his young
1
troops, some of whom have already surrendered.
Moreover, his political advisers are divided over
whether to pursue talks or to fight. Although Taylor
demonstrated his ability to attack the peacekeeping
force and keep it off balance, he has Yet to Provo
capable of prevailing against a well-armed, disciplined
opponent.
Taylor probably will attack Army units at Spriggs Payne
Airfield�and may overrun it unless elements of the
regional force located them resist him. Despite
continued aims resupply from Burkina, however,
Taylor's troops lack the discipline or capability to
launch a threatened final offensive to "level Monrovia"
and drive out the peacekeeping force. Taylor is still a
force to be reckoned with outside the capital. His forces
occupy the Firestone Plantation, the port city of
Buchanan, and the economically important Nimba
County, where his assent and assistance are needed for
relief efforts.
The roughly 3,000-strong regional peacekeeping force,
with its manpower, armor, and transport advantages
over the competing Liberian factions, has the military
capability to assert control in Monrovia, but whether it
has the political mandate to do so remains unclear.
Moreover, the uneven performance of the group so far
does not auger well for its ability to impose a cease-fire.
Although it repelled Taylor's attacks last weekend, it
failed to intervene during the gun battle at its
headquarters between Johnson and Doe
The peacekeeping command has been shaken by the
circumstances of Doe's death and the aggressive
independence displayed by Johnson's forces. Intraforce
tensions and morale problems also confront the
peacekeepers. Force Commander Quainoo reportedly is
itireAfigat-9----ZOAR 21
14 September 1990
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Military Update, 11 September 1990
Johnson and
government forces
battling
Area occupied by
ECO WAS peacekeeping force
1.... Taylor's forces
near Gardnersville
c;;�
� Government Forces
6g About 2.500 to 3,000 lightly armed, mostly Krahn soldiers in Doe's home
county bordering Ivory Coast ... 500 to 800 others in Monrovia, mainly at the
Executive Mansion ... arms include three antiaircraft and two antitank guns,
mortars, a multiple rocket launcher, and heavy machineguns.
Taylor's Forces
Perhaps 3,000 to 5,500 men, including as many as 2,000 in Monrovia's suburbs
... arsenal contains at least one antiaircraft gun, several four-tube rocket
launchers, I05-mm howitzers, mortars, and a few coastal boats.
Johnson's Forces
An estimated 500 men in Monrovia ... rely on captured weapons and
equipment ... have a few heavy machineguns and some mortars.
Peacekeeping Force
Approximately 3,000 soldiers (800 to 1,000 Nigerians, 1,000 Ghanaians,
500 to '150 (3uineans, 360 Sierra Leoncans, and 130 Gambians) ... at least
01 31 armored cars and personnel carriers, four Scorpion tanks, mortars, towed
artillery. 56 machineguns, 12 antitank weapons, and two SA-7 launchers.
Taylor and
government forces
battling
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"Stout,
dismayed at the lack of political support for the
peacekeeping effort�several ECOWAS members,
including pro-Taylor Burkina and Ivory Coast, refuse to
recognize the legitimacy of the peacekeeping effort�
and Ghana is reassessing its continued panicipadon in
the force.
Uncertain Political Future
Both Johnson and the Army remnants have requested
the interim government to come to Monrovia as soon as
possible, although Johnson's willingness to yield
authority is suspect. The fluid military situation in the
capital makes it unlikely that any of the armed groups,
including the peacekeepers, can guarantee security
anytime soon. To establish itself in Monrovia, the
Roans Blank
interim regime would be dependent on the regional
peacekeepers for protection and, without Taylor's
cooperation, would be confined to the capital.
Believing he has been cheated of victory, Taylor
probably will continue military operations as long as his
regional backers do not press him to enter talks or make
political concessions. His main backer, Burkina,
probably will not suspend material support until Taylor
has obtained adequate political spoils for his hard-
fought insurgency
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