W. Africa Force Controls Capital of Sierra Leone

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone —  Amid charred bodies and the smoldering rubble of a punishing military victory, a Nigerian-led intervention force took control Friday of Sierra Leone’s embattled capital.

The coalition drove out a 9-month-old junta in a final offensive this week and is now poised to restore the ousted president--in what appears to be Africa’s first successful experiment at using outside military might to return an elected government rather than topple it.

By Friday, the Nigerian-led coalition authorized by the Economic Community of West African States controlled most of Freetown, although sporadic gunfire still could be heard.

Authorities imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew and worked to restore order, broadcasting radio appeals to listeners to surrender their arms and refrain from retaliatory attacks on junta troops.

Gunmen loyal to the country’s fast-dissolving military regime were either in flight, in hiding or had been served swift street justice by angered civilians.

City residents danced in the streets as the charred bodies of at least seven junta soldiers killed in revenge attacks lay battered in the gutters.

The junta’s removal clears the way for the return of President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, who was driven from power by renegade military commanders in May.

There was no immediate word on when the coalition planned to return Kabbah to power. Neither was there any immediate indication that the coalition intended to retain control indefinitely.

The whereabouts of Lt. Col. Johnny Paul Koroma, the leader of the bloody May coup, were not known. Hundreds of other junta troops had surrendered and thrown down their weapons.

A senior coalition commander, Nigerian Maj. Gen. Timothy Shelpidi, said from his headquarters in Monrovia, Liberia, that several of his planes had forced down two junta attack helicopters in Monrovia and captured the 25 people aboard.

An unknown number of the passengers were believed to be fleeing junta officials.

“They are being interrogated right now,” Shelpidi said, giving no details.

The intervention force launched its attack last week. Thursday night, its troops captured large parts of Freetown’s city center while civilians welcomed their victory with street celebrations.