Despite assurances that refugees returning from Guinea would have safe passage, RUF rebels have been attacking, raping and robbing the the civilians. Britain said that appeals for other nations to contribute peacekeeping troops for Sierra Leone have been ignored. UNAMSIL has only 9,500 of the currently authorized 12,100 troops on hand and the UN has authorized a total of 17,500 so that peacekeepers can move into more rebel held areas. Britain has 600 troops in Sierra Leone training government recruits.