31.   The onslaught followed months of vicious rebel attacks in the countryside, where thousands of unarmed villagers were killed, raped and mutilated.

32.   The rebel offensive against Freetown follows months of vicious attacks in the countryside, where thousands of unarmed villagers were killed, raped and mutilated.

33.   The unarmed villagers were removed from buses and homes and then shot in the head.

34.   Amnesty accused the Senegalese army of responsibility for disappearances and summary executions of unarmed villagers in Casamance.

35.   But the National Human Rights Commission on Wednesday backed witnesses who said the victims were unarmed villagers killed in reprisal for the deaths of soldiers.