Indonesian Air Attack On Rebel Fortress

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28783, 2 January 1959, Page 7

Indonesian Air Attack On Rebel Fortress

(Rec. 10.30 p.m.) JAKARTA, December 31. Indonesian aircraft armed with rockets smashed a big rebel military concentration in the North Celebes, it was announced in Jakarta. An Air Force communique said the fighters blasted rockets into an insurgent fortress, causing fires and explosions.

This is believed to be the biggest air raid over the North Celebes, where several thousand rebels are reported to be still under arms.

The Air Force said the attack came as the rebels were planning to “harass” a nearby Government Army post. The target was the rebel 1 port of Ajong Bay, 200 miles west of Menado the former rebel stronghold.

Rebel ammunition dumps and petrol stores exploded in flames, the communique said. The

attack also heavily damaged a rebel ship which, the communique said, was used to bring supplies from overseas. The Air Force did not describe the aircraft but they were probably Mustangs or British Vampire jets. Indonesia has MIG jets from Czechoslovakia, but they are not known to have been used in any operation. Government aircraft today also bombed a foreign ship carrying supplies _ to rebels in the North .Celebes, the Antara news agency announced.