11.   But the Nigerian soldiers stationed across an estuary from the capital had failed to block several ships from entering, frustrating West African heads of state.

12.   Dozens of youths supporting leaders of a May coup hurled stones at the Nigerian Embassy on Thursday following bombing raids by Nigerian soldiers backing the ousted government.

13.   Four Zambian and two Nigerian soldiers were reported missing after the battle, U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard said in New York.

14.   Ghana is one of the contributors to a west African peacekeeping army and has sent troops to assist Nigerian soldiers threatening to bombard Koroma.

15.   He added that the rebels had captured an undisclosed number of Nigerian soldiers as well as large quantities of light and heavy weaponry from ECOMOG.

16.   He said six Nigerian soldiers had been wounded.

17.   He said, however, that some Nigerian soldiers will remain there until the security situation has stabilized.

18.   Human Rights Watch-Africa said its investigation was the first to include admissions from Nigerian soldiers that they had taken part in atrocities.

19.   In the central town square, three youths accused of participating in the bloody rampage were rounded up and questioned by Nigerian soldiers and village leaders.

20.   Koroma has blamed Nigerian peacekeeping soldiers opposed to his rule for fighting that flared early Thursday and lasted until the afternoon.