18366: Esser: Haitian police take back rebel-held town (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser torx@joimail.com


Reuters Alert Net
09 Feb 2004 22:41:34 GMT

SAINT MARC, Haiti, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Haitian police took back a city
on Monday from armed gangs opposed to President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide, delivering the government its first victory in a five-day
armed revolt, according to a Reuters Television cameraman.

Shortly after police secured control of the port city of Saint Marc,
about 60 miles (100 km) north of the capital, Port-au-Prince, Prime
Minister Yvon Neptune flew in on a helicopter to shouts of support
for Aristide.

He assured residents the government wanted to seek peace with its
opponents through dialogue, not force. (Reporting by Marco Trujillo;
Writing by Michael Christie; editing by Peter Cooney; +1 305 810
2690; E-mail: michael.christie@reuters.com)