Rebels on Sunday seized the government's last major stronghold in the north, Cap-Haitien, shooting off celebratory rounds in the air as people looted and torched buildings. The rebels said they had met little resistance except at the airport, where they said eight people were killed in fighting with militants loyal to President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. A manager with Tropical Airways said rebels there had also commandeered a plane. "We came in today and we took Cap-Haitien, tomorrow we take Port-au-Prince," the capital, boasted Lucien Estime, 19. "Our mission is to liberate Haiti." It took the rebels just hours to seize Cap-Haitien, the impoverished country's second-largest city. They came up from the south, quickly overwhelming Aristide loyalists who had erected flaming barricades on the city outskirts. "The people are happy. Finally we're free from terror," said Fifi Jean, 30, unperturbed as she stood in front of the blazing police headquarters building, where people looted everything in sight. Teenagers paraded in police hats and body armor while rebels handed over keys of cars to residents and drank beer. People hefted away weapons, typewriters, mattresses, even doors. Rebel leader Guy Philippe had threatened for days to attack Cap-Haitien, the country's second-largest city. The mayor, Wilmar Innocent, has said earlier that 180 police were protecting the city, but they fled when the rebels attacked. The rebels have captured several towns in Haiti's north since they rose up on Feb. 5. The uprising has killed about 60 people, about two-thirds of them police. Rebel commander Jean-Baptiste Joseph, formerly leader of an association of soldiers from Haiti's disbanded army, declared "It's the army that's in charge here. It's the army that will free Haiti." Haiti's army ousted Aristide eight months after his 1990 inauguration and began a reign of terror until the United States sent 20,000 troops in 1994 to end the military dictatorship, restore Aristide and halt an exodus of boat people to the shores of Florida. The latest rebel attack puts added pressure on politicians negotiating a U.S.-backed international peace plan that would leave Aristide as president but force him to share power with his political rivals. A diplomatic delegation left Haiti Saturday night after failing to persuade Aristide's political opponents to accept the plan, which would require the two sides to share power. Aristide, who would remain president under the plan, said he agreed to a new prime minister and government to organize elections. But he declared he would "not go ahead with any terrorists," meaning he would not negotiate with the rebels. The opposition politicians are not allied with the rebels, but both want to see Aristide step down. The political opponents met with foreign envoys Saturday and promised to deliver a formal response to the peace proposal by 5 p.m. Monday. The United States has urged citizens to leave the country amid mounting violence by Aristide militants in government-held areas. Throughout the recent bloodshed, Aristide, who has survived three assassination attempts and a coup d'etat, has said he will not step down before his term ends in 2006. Aristide accuses his political opponents of supporting the rebellion. His government spokesman, Mario Dupuy, said that with the plan "the opposition has a chance to prove it is not in favor of violence and terrorism." Opposition leaders said the plan does not address how to halt the uprising and disarm rebels and militants. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Haitian rebel leader Louis-Jodel Chamblain is seen in front of the burning police station of Cap-Haitien, Haiti, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2004. (Walter Astrada)