West African peacekeeping troops are making a second attempt to gain access to the seaport of the capital, Monrovia, which is held by rebels who have been fighting government troops.
The peacekeepers, who arrived in the country earlier this week, were rebuffed yesterday when they tried to open talks with the rebels about opening the port.
The ports facilities are needed to ensure that shipments of humanitarian aid can be brought into the city, where more than 250,000 people displaced by the fighting are going hungry.
