The United Nations peacekeeping force in Sierra Leone is planning to deploy a combat-ready battalion of Indian Gurkha troops to the most sensitive area of its operations.

The Gurkhas are to be deployed in the diamond mining Eastern region, where the rebel military commander, Sam Bokarie - known as Mosquito - has his stronghold.

Top UN sources said the Gurkha troops were from battle-hardened units that have been fighting insurgents in Kashmir.

The peacekeepers cannot force anybody to disarm. If they try it they will regret it

RUF rebel leader Foday Sankoh

The Sierra Leone Government and rebels signed a peace agreement earlier this year. A 6,000-strong UN force is in the process of being deployed to monitor and support the agreement.

The sources said rebel commanders had been told about the plan and that they have somewhat reluctantly, accepted it.

Spirit of peace

The UN stresses that its forces are being deployed in a spirit of peace. It is however no coincidence that crack Gurkha troops are heading for the potentially explosive rebel-held east.

The UN's strategy is to send peacekeepers originating from outside the West African region to the most sensitive parts of the country.

This is because many of the mainly-Nigerian West African troops who make up the bulk of the UN force have been fighting the rebels for years as part of a regional intervention army.

Kenyan peacekeepers were the first to arrive

The West Africans are therefore open to rebel accusations that they are not neutral.

Thus, while the Indians will go to the rebel-held east - probably in the next few weeks - Kenyan UN soldiers are to be deployed to the northern town of Makeni, which is also rebel-controlled.

The next few weeks are the most dangerous for the UN.

UN commanders say it is almost inevitable that the rebels will test their resolve to keep the peace by mounting some sort of military action.

The UN commanders say that, while their men go in peace, it is to deal with such a test that the UN soldiers have guns.