East Timor:Australian troops began arriving in East Timor yesterday to help enforce a state of emergency after the tiny nation's president was critically wounded in a double assassination attempt and flown to Darwin for treatment.
An Australian warship also arrived off the Dili coast to support the first of 200 fast reaction troops sent to reinforce international security forces as doctors said President Jose Ramos-Horta would remain on life support until next week.
The United Nations said 11 people had been questioned over Monday's attack, in which a rebel soldier leader was also killed, and that international security forces had responded swiftly.
In Darwin, where Mr Ramos-Horta was airlifted with gunshot wounds in the chest, back and stomach, doctors said they planned more surgery.
"His condition remains extremely serious, but, by the same token, stable," Royal Darwin Hospital general manager Len Notaras said, adding the president would need more surgery in the next 24-36 hours. "He will be in an induced coma until at least Thursday and intensive care until Sunday or Monday of next week," he said.
- (Reuters)
