The country of Sierra Leone is located in western Africa between the countries of Guinea and Liberia, and it borders the North Atlantic Ocean. The actual area of Sierra Leone is slightly smaller than the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population of Sierra Leone is about 5,080,000 people. Its legal system is based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes. Sierra Leone's government consists of three branches, the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch.

President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah was inaugurated March 29, 1996, and President Kabbah is both the chief of state and the head of government. The

The mutinous Sierra Leone soldiers then attempted to expand their control of the country by commanding the country's diamond region. While attempting to gain control over the precious diamond area of Sierra Leone, the rebels skirmished with a militia loyal to deposed President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah. During the continued fighting, many non-Sierra Leoneans residents took refuge in beachside hotels until they could get a flight of the country. The residents were flown across a wide river estuary to Lungi airport by helicopter. The Sierra Leone faction held one end of the airport, but the Nigerians were able to gain back the opposite end of the airport. A confrontation at the airport erupted as a shot was fired by one of the Sierra Leone soldiers as 392 evacuees were boarding a Boeing 747. (6, p.2) The Nigerians did receive support as a Nigerian C-130 Hercules landed with troops and supplies.

10. World News Story Page, S. Leone Leader Urges Rebels to Turn to Dialogue, www.cnn.com, p. 1-3.

With the use of 15 U.S. military helicopters, about 900 Americans and citizens of other countries were airlifted to the deck of the USS Kearsarge, which was about 12 miles offshore. In scenes reminiscent of the U.S. evacuation of Saigon more than 20 years ago, the evacuation was one of bedlam and near-hysteria. (7, p.3) After the last people were airlifted from the U.S. Embassy, the place was stripped and looted of anything valuable.

The fighting in Freetown had opened the door for roaming gangs, widespread hunger, and the spread of diseases. The exposed and rotting corpses had brought on new problems concerning diseases.

The rebels on April 13 laid siege to Kabala, the only major northern town that had not been hit by an offensive attack since the war began. The ECOMOG force repelled several waves of attacks from the rebel forces. Kabala is the cattle capital of Sierra Leone and the rebels cut off all food supply routes to and from the city. Kabala supplied about two thirds of the meat consumed in Freetown, and with the supply routes cut, the shortage of food in Freetown only will increase.

Mutinous soldiers who ousted the Sierra Leone's civilian government scrapped the constitution and banned political parties. But the mutineers promised that the tiny West African nation would someday return to a "proper democracy." (5, p.1) After the denouncing of Sierra Leone's constitution, the American warship USS Kearsarge set sail toward the coast of Sierra Leone in case an evacuation of the estimated 400 U.S. citizens in Freetown was needed.

6. World News Story Page, Sierra Leone Closes Its Borders as Mutineers Seize Control, www.cnn.com/world, p.1-5.

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2823
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)