Liberian President Charles Taylor has urged calm after a rebel attack near the capital, Monrovia, caused residents to panic and flee. 

President Taylor said in a radio address that security forces were patrolling the city and would not allow any rebels near the capital. Mr. Taylor toured Monrovia, which came to a virtual standstill Monday. Early Monday, the sounds of heavy artillery fire from areas some 25 kilometers from Monrovia sparked fears of a rebel advance. 

President Taylor confirmed that the rebels from the group, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy had attacked his hometown of Arthington, north of Monrovia. 

Monrovian residents panicked, with students leaving schools, businesses shutting down and hundreds of people running from the city center towards the suburbs. 

Sunday, rebels said they had taken the town of Klay, 35 kilometers from Monrovia, and were on the move towards the capital. 

The rebels, who are based in the north of Liberia, launched some of their boldest attacks six days ago in their three-year campaign against the Taylor government. 

Some of the fiercest fighting has been near Gbarnga, which was President Taylor's base when he led a rebellion against a former government in the 1990s. 

Liberia's parliament on Friday extended a state of emergency and called for the international community to lift sanctions that had been extended for another year so it could fight the rebels. 

United Nations officials estimate that at least 40,000 people have been displaced by the recent upsurge in fighting. 

Some information for this report provided by AFP and AP.

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