Lagos — United States Marines, helicopters and screaming jets backed up West African peacekeepers as they pushed into rebel-held areas of Liberia's war torn capital Monrovia yesterday to a riotous heroes' welcome.

Thousands of people surged out, cheering, dancing and punching the air, as Nigerian troops of the Ecomil force crossed key bridges to take up positions from ragtag fighters pulling out now pariah leader Charles Taylor has flown into exile.

Bursts of gunfire and joyful blasts from the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebels rang out when the peacekeepers moved into the port, vital for getting aid to hundreds of thousands of refugees from recent fighting that left at least 2,000 dead.

"As long as Ecomil is here the war is over," said Laurence Saywula, 28, trapped for weeks behind rebel lines.

Also yesterday, Liberian rebels officially handed over the capital's looting-ravaged port to the Nigerian-led peacekeeping force a few hours after the arrival of the US troops.

They handed over the port area to , Brig. Gen Festus Okonkwo, the leader of the mainly Nigerian ECOMIL peace force.

The handover came during a short ceremony attended by the US ambassador and the leading rebel in the city.

"We have no reason to doubt the credibility of the Americans, and we have no reason to doubt the credibility of the peacekeepers, so we will leave as we have said. I'm leaving right now," said rebel commander Sekou Fofana.

"We are committed to the peace process," he said after the ceremony, held on a nearby bridge.

President Moses Blah arrived in Ghana for a meeting with leaders of rebel factions to try to bring an end to nearly 14 years of strife that have spread turmoil through West Africa and cost at least a quarter of a million lives.

The US Marines who flew into Monrovia's airport are part of a 2,300-strong task force floating offshore to back up the peacekeepers.

The Pentagon has said that about 200 Marines will be deployed over the next few days. Some Marines dashed to airport buildings, others took up positions in the grass.

"The citizens around are all so happy to see the Marines because they had to leave their homes for fear of a rebel attack," said airport worker George Marshall.