1.   Our own State Department has denounced rebel atrocities.

2.   Although the warring sides signed a peace deal in July, the United Nations and human rights groups report that rebel atrocities continue.

3.   An envoy representing U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan appealed Friday for urgent international aid for rural Sierra Leone, where villagers continue to be victimized by rebel atrocities.

4.   But peace has been the top priority of his administration and Pastrana has been reluctant in the past to break off negotiations over alleged rebel atrocities.

5.   Earlier, presidential spokesman Septimus Kai Kai said the rebel leader would be prosecuted for the rebel atrocities.

6.   He was meeting Saturday with Sierra Leone President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah and was expected to hold discussions with peacekeepers and civilians, including victims of rebel atrocities.

7.   Residents of Kissy who fled their neighborhood Thursday offered fresh allegations of rebel atrocities.

8.   Rights groups and U.N. officials agree, however, that rebel atrocities far outweighed ECOMOG crimes.

9.   Sierra Leone peace talks began Tuesday with a rebel demand for amnesty for all their fighters and a government condemnation of rebel atrocities.

10.   The Russian authorities have tried to turn the tables by pointing at rebel atrocities and other crimes.