Former soldiers who helped overthrow Haiti’s government patrolled the streets of a town they took over to back demands for a new Haitian Army, local media reported. The ex-soldiers, who formed the backbone of a rebel force that drove then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide into exile on Feb. 29, chased police from the southern town of Petit Goave on Saturday. In camouflage military uniforms, they spread into the streets on Tuesday trying to win the confidence of the people.

The takeover of Petit Goave, about 35 miles (56 km) southeast of the capital, bore echoes of the revolt against Aristide early this year, when rebels took over one town after another in northern Haiti. It illustrated the unrest still dogging the Caribbean country, the poorest in the Americas, under the interim government that took over from him and despite the presence of a Brazilian-led UN peacekeeping mission.

Haiti’s interim prime minister, Gerard Latortue, sent a delegation to negotiate with the ex-rebels. But the officials were turned away by rock-throwing supporters of the soldiers. Rebel leaders had warned Latortue weeks ago to expect trouble if his government did not reinstate Haiti’s army, which was disbanded by Aristide in the mid-1990s. The ex-soldiers also say the government owes them 10 years of back pay.