Until the capture of British soldiers, the WestSideBoys, a small ill-disciplined group with a reputation for taking drugs and alcohol, were largely ignored by the United Nations, the Sierra Leonean Government and Britain.
However, the UK Government may come under fire from the opposition Conservative Party, which called for the army to be withdrawn after a British soldier died during September's daring operation to rescue British troops held hostage by the WestSideBoys militia.