MONROVIA, Liberia, June 14 (UPI) -- Liberian rebels Saturday backed off a cease-fire agreement, telling CNN nothing will be signed until President Charles Taylor resigns.
The cease-fire was brokered by African diplomats earlier in the week and CNN said officials had expected it to be formalized by now.
Liberia remains in chaos as the government and rebels do battle, forcing hundreds of thousands of residents to flee the fighting. Food, water and sanitary facilities are scarce.
Taylor won Liberia's presidency in a landslide poll in 1997. He has said he would step down when his term expires in January, but only if U.N. agrees to drop war crimes charges pending against him.
A U.S. military official told CNN Friday that a small contingent of American troops are standing by "in the region of Liberia" in case U.S. citizens in the country become endangered by the fighting.
