1.   The French army held the town for three days.

2.   The rebels hold the town, but only up to a checkpoint about a half-mile from the camp.

3.   The rebels have proved unable to take and hold major towns like Juba and Wau.

4.   There has been no U.N. presence in the area for months because of looting by the mujahedeen, the fighters who previously held the town.

5.   What that usually means is that they nominally hold pivotal towns, airstrips and roads, but remain highly unpopular.

6.   Aidid, the son of the late Gen. Mohamed Farah Aidid, had held the town for the past three years.

7.   Aidid, the son of the late Gen. Mohamed Farah Aidid, has held the town for the past three years.

8.   But he and many others across Chechnya believe the forces of rebel president Dzhokhar Dudayev will never let the Russians hold Chechen towns like this one in peace.

9.   But the center said the KLA still held the town itself, despite a Serb siege.

10.   But the rebels were unable to hold the town against a strong Serb counterattack, raising questions about their military capability.