The Liberian Government says it has secured the release of 180 UN peacekeepers being held by rebels in neighbouring Sierra Leone.

Forty-six of the former hostages have been flown to the Liberian capital, Monrovia, where a number were transferred to hospital. The remainder are in the border town of Foya waiting to be airlifted out. About 70 UN peacekeepers are still being held hostage in Sierra Leone by the rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF) but a Liberian Government minister said mediators were continuing talks with individual rebel commanders and he hoped all UN personnel would soon be freed. The RUF seized 500 UN hostages more than three weeks ago. News of the mass release came shortly after Sierra Leonean President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah announced that it was to put the RUF leader, Foday Sankoh, on trial. He told the BBC in an interview that the evidence against him was being put together now and, if found to have violated the law, Mr Sankoh would no longer be considered part of the peace deal he signed last year.