Tens of thousands of famished Liberians flowed back and forth across Monrovia today in search of food and families after rebels released their month-long stranglehold on the capital.
Aid ships docked in the devastated port, but security in Monrovia remains poor and government and rebel forces accused each other of attacking outside the city.
The first two ships docked with high-energy biscuits and other supplies from the UN World Food Programme and refugee agency UNHCR, but damaged equipment hindered unloading. A US plane brought more aid.
But rebels and government forces accused each other of attacking on the southeastern front.
Rebels of the Model faction advanced to a village eight miles away on the Monrovia side of a river which the US embassy said was an agreed demarcation line.
Inside Monrovia, food looted from the port is now on sale cheap on what was the rebel side of the front line.
With their mission to overthrow pariah leader Charles Taylor accomplished after he flew into exile on Monday, the rebels agreed to pull back to give a chance to talks on ending strife that has racked Liberia for 14 years and poisoned the region.
A few rebels hung behind and government forces loitered near the city centre despite promising to pull back once rebels did.
Leaders of the two rebel factions met in Ghana for a second day with a delegation led by new President Moses Blah, but it was unclear whether a deal would be signed on Saturday as hoped.
