afrol News, 12 June - At least 13 people are dead with more than 20 missing after a land conflict in a remote southern part of Liberia. The clashes follow conflict lines from the ended civil war.

Report shows that workers were shot and hacked to death, and were later dumped into the nearby river. About 50 people are feared dead in the attack.

The dispute in the central province of Margibi had been brewing for some time but took a wrong turn over the weekend when heavily armed men opened fire on farm workers Saturday morning.

Police official Beatrice Munah Sieh said divers found the bodies in Farmington River near a farm about 55 kilometres south of the capital, Monrovia.

Ms Sieh said police are probing the massacre, but said no arrests have been made while police's focus is still on rescue efforts.

One of the survivors said shooting started on Saturday morning, three hours after they resumed their duties. "I saw armed men opening fire on us with AK-47s and single-barrel shotguns before finishing off the wounded with machetes," said the survivor.

The murdered men are working for Charles Bennie, a former spokesman for rebel forces and ex-government official.

Mr Bennie said he had been in dispute over the land for some time with Liberian senator Ronald Kahn, who represents Margibi province. He accused Mr Kahn's security men of leading the attackers, but the senator denied the allegations.

Liberia is still recovering from a 14-year civil war, which only ended in 2003.

By staff writers

© afrol News

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