Monrovia

Liberian rebels fighting to topple President Charles Taylor bombarded the capital city, Monrovia, with heavy mortar and rocket fire throughout the night and punched their way into the city centre on Wednesday morning.

Eyewitnesses said fighters of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebel movement, seized control of Monrovia's Bushrod Island, where Liberia's deep water port is situated, and crossed the key Gabriel Tucker bridge into the Mamba Point area of central Monrovia, just before dawn.

Fighting neared the US embassy and UN buildings later on Wednesday morning, pushing the LURD to within four km of the Executive Mansion, the headquarters of President Taylor.

For the first time,the rebels fired rockets as well as mortar shells into various parts of the city. One rocket hit the Health Ministry, a few hundred metres from the Executive Mansion. Two others fell on the beach nearby. Another exploded in the eastern suburb of Sinkor.