BERNARD SHAW, CNN ANCHOR: Rebels have killed at least seven United Nations peacekeepers in the West African country of Sierra Leone. CNN's Richard Roth is at the United Nations with the latest -- Richard.</s>RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bernie, a very tense situation now for the U.N. and its staff and personnel in the West African nation of Sierra Leone. Seven U.N. peacekeepers killed in clashes there. Over the last few months, U.N. peacekeepers by the thousands have been arriving there. They are there to back up what's known as the Lome agreement, a peace agreement which ended a nine-year civil war, a very horrible civil war, brutal: maiming; campaign of mutilations by rebels led by Foday Sankoh. That is his name. He has led a rebel movement there, which maimed thousands of civilians. Even though he signed a peace agreement with the government there last year, it was only recently that it came into force. But now, supporters of Foday Sankoh are believed responsible for holding U.N. peacekeepers hostage and now being responsible for their deaths. Some here at the Security Council think that he should be labeled a war criminal. The ambassador from Sierra Leone, speaking outside the Security Council, wants the Security Council to back up now its resolutions and statements with deeds.</s>ROTH: When he refers to DRC, that's in the Congo, and that's another looming major U.N. peacekeeping force. However, there's a lot of trepidation about what might happen there. Right now, the U.N. is pursuing negotiating, diplomatic tactics. U.S. Secretary-General Kofi Annan a short time ago arriving in Paris said, "We know that the international community was not ready to go to Rwanda." And quote: "After Sierra Leone, I think there's going to be very little encouragement for any of them to get involved in operations in Africa." Not much talk about a rescue mission right now. They're going to try to deal with it on the ground. Richard Roth, CNN, reporting live at the United Nations.
Rebels Kill Seven U.N. Peacekeepers in Sierra Leone