Thousands of panicked Liberians carrying clothes, mattresses and furniture ran toward central Monrovia today, fleeing explosions that shook the capital's outskirts as rebels closed in.
Later, thousands streamed back in the opposite direction chanting, "We want peace. No more war," saying they were exhausted after years of bloodshed.
The defense minister warned there was mortar fire ahead and urged them to turn back. Some left voluntarily, others chased away by authorities using whips and firing guns in the air.
Fighting between government forces and rebels seeking to oust President Charles Taylor has reached Iron Gate Junction, less than three miles outside the capital, Liberia's military chief Gen. Benjamin Yeaten said.
As the ground trembled in Monrovia's northwestern neighborhoods, the fighting appeared to be edging closer. Yeaten said at least four soldiers had been wounded and that his forces were under attack by mortars and machine gun fire.
"The sounds are terrifying. We want to move, but besides not knowing where it's safe to go to, we don't want our homes looted if we leave," said a woman who did not want to be identified.
Along with peace protesters were crowds of furious residents demanding to know when a long-promised peacekeeping force would arrive which they hope will led by Americans, as being considered by President Bush.
Liberians, whose country was founded in the 19th century by freed American slaves, feel a strong historic bond to the United States.
"Everyone is talking about sending troops, but no one wants to send them. What is the delay? They should be here," Information Minister Reginald Goodrich said. "All this (fighting) should indicate the (rebels) are not serious. Taylor is not the problem."
The main rebel group, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, or LURD, and government officials blame each another for instigating the latest round of fighting.
Rebels have threatened to overrun Monrovia unless Taylor ends attacks on them. On Saturday, however, rebel officials at peace talks in nearby Ghana said the intention was not to take the capital. "We are not trying to take Monrovia and we are going to let the peace process take route," said Joe Wiley, of the rebel group.
Negotiators are working to reach a deal on a transition government and elections after a deadline for an agreement was extended by five days to Tuesday.
The thousands marching for peace, some waving branches of mango leaves, were apparently buoyed by rumors that a team of officials from the Economic Community of West Africa, or ECOWAS, which has promised to send peacekeepers, had arrived.
Defense Minister Daniel Chea said the team was delayed and urged the marchers to retreat. Some said they wanted to go to the front lines to tell rebels they wanted fighting to stop.
"I'm just trying to reason with them to get off the street. There is no reason for them to be on the street with mortar fire just 2 1/2 miles away," said Chea, wearing black jeans and pistols on his hips.
Meanwhile, hundreds of government militia fighters some wearing women's wigs in lurid colors to frighten opponents were seen returning to Monrovia from their defense posts outside the capital.
"We are tired, that is a fact. So we decided to retreat," said a 27-year-old man who has been fighting with Taylor since 1991.
Other government militia pressed on. Fighters, some as young as 14, piled into pickup trucks. They beat their chests as they revved up for battle and raced out of the city toward the fighting.
A militiaman who gave only the name General Romeo said he would keep fighting as long as government forces were under rebel attack. "Our president agreed for a cease-fire so they better not come here or else I will use this today," he said, waving a grenade launcher.
Still, the retreat by some militiamen reflected a growing unease within Taylor's forces, much of which is made up of young men who say they fear being abandoned by the president.
Arthur Johnson, 43-year-old taxi driver, was among those fleeing, a large plastic bag of belongings over his shoulder.
"We want the American government to help save our lives. We have no place to go. We and Liberia are tired of running away," said Johnson, who added it was the third time this month he had fled his home.
Bush has tied any deployment of American troops to the departure of Taylor, who accepted an offer to live in Nigeria but says he will leave Liberia only when peacekeepers arrive. Rebels fear any force that comes in before Taylor departs will only strengthen his embattled regime.
Taylor rose to power in 1989. Fourteen years of sporadic fighting followed, killing hundreds of thousands of people and displacing many more. A U.N.-backed tribunal has indicted Taylor for war crimes in neighboring Sierra Leone, where he supported a brutal rebel movement infamous for hacking off people's hands, feet, ears, noses and lips.