HONDURAS CLASHES WITH NICARAGUA

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28268, 4 May 1957, Page 11

HONDURAS CLASHES WITH NICARAGUA

Land And Air Battles On Border

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) (Rec. 7 p.m.) TEGUCIGALPA (Honduras), May 2. Honduran and Nicaraguan land and air forces clashed today in pitched battles at two . points along the frontier, it was reported. Troops were reported locked in combat near Las Manos, a town in El Paraiso department near the centre of the border.

The Honduran Air Force planes were etraflng Nicaraguan troops in the Mocoron area along the north-eastern end of the border where 35 Nicaraguan national guardsmen were killed in a battle with Honduran troops yesterday.

Honduran forces were reported to be throwing back the Nicaraguans along a narrow corridor between the Cruta and Cocos rivers, in the Mocoron area. Informed sources in the Nicaraguan capital of Managua said that three P-38 Honduran fighters were shot down in the Mocoron fighting. They also claimed that Nicaraguan soldiers, including land, sea and air forces, were reported converging on the border fighting area. Honduran Air Force planes shuttled between Tegucigalpa and Las Manos throughout the day.

A large build-up of Nicaraguan troops in the vicinity of El Espino, along the south-eastern end of the border, indicated that fighting might break out at any moment on another front. Honduran infantry troops were rushed to El Espino in the face of Nicaraguan warlike activities in the area.

Four thousand private car and truck paraded their vehicles through the streets of Tegucigalpa this morning, offering their services to move troops and war material to the front.

Thirty thousand workers of the Tela Railroad Company, Honduras, an affiliate of the United Fruit Company, asked_ to join the Army to fight Nicaragua. Among the armed forces moved to the front today was virtually the entire Tegucigalpa police force. Maintenance of order in the capital was entrusted to university and high school students who went into special’ trainipg. The -city’s medical corps also was mobilised for military service. Women’s brigades were organised as Red Cross auxiliaries. Hundreds of Tegucigalpa residents went; to the newly-formed blood bank to contribute their blood. Tegucigalpa staged a test blackout last night and residents were told what to do in case of air Nicaragua went on a war footing today and rushed truckloads of National Guard units to the Honduran frontier to avenge Honduras’ * ‘criminal aggression’ against the village of Mocoron.