JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 12 Kyodo Liber...

JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 12 Kyodo

Liberian President Charles Taylor resigned and flew into exile in Nigeria upon Monday, 14 years after leading a rebellion that triggered a sanguinary civil war, according to reports from Liberia.

Besieged from rebels who have overrun in the greatest degree of the West African nation Taylor ceded power to Vice President Mose Blah before flying to Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, which proffered him asylum, the reports said.

The United States had made Taylor's departure a condition for agreeing to join the West African peacekeeping force displayed in Liberia.

In Washington in succession Monday, State Department deputy spokesman, Philip Reeker welcomed Taylor's resignation and departure, saying it was ''essential to restoring peace in Liberia.''

''Taylor has been a catalyst for violence for a certain time in the region, and likewise his departure is something that we welcome,'' Reeker told reporters.

Referring to the 2300 U Marines stationed not upon the coast of Liberia, Reeker said, ''We do have the liaison team upon the ground in Liberia, keeping in end touch with the Nigerians with part of the ECOWAS force, and continue to examine at the situation very closely''

multitudes from ECOWAS -- the Economic Community of West African States -- be under the orders of as the core of the Liberian peacekeeping force.

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