Thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) fled a temporary site some 100 km north of the Liberian capital, Monrovia, on Sunday following exchanges of gunfire near the area, humanitarian sources said on Monday.

Amnesty International (AI)called on the UN Security Council to take a lead role in urging the international community to provide adequate protection and assistance to internally displaced people (IDPs) in Liberia.

Two NGOs, Action Contre la Faim (ACF) and Concerned Christian Community (CCC), have called for the relocation of thousands of internally displaced Liberians who were recently forced to flee south from the northwest regions, because of renewed fighting between disssidents and government forces. The organsations said more than 10,000 IDPs are currently living in Sawmill, Bomi County.

A Liberian general has been picked up as the capital, Monrovia, is awash with rumours of an attempted coup.

Civilians have become the main targets in the conflict between government forces and armed opposition fighters in Liberia's northern Lofa county, the global human rights body, Amnesty International (AI), said in a statement on Tuesday.