U.N. Flies Troops To North Katanga

Press, Volume C, Issue 29478, 3 April 1961, Page 11

U.N. Flies Troops To North Katanga

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) r LEOPOLDVILLE, April 1. One thousand Gurkha troops of the United Nations began flying to north Katanga today as an emergency move to prevent a new flare-up of civil war in the Congo, the Associated Press reported. A United Nations spokesman said it has been decided to “significantly strengthen the United Nations’s military position as the danger of large-scale clashes is clearly apparent.” The United Nations move came after the announcement by the Katanga Government yesterday of capture of the town of Manono, a Lumumbist rebel enclave in north Katanga.

A large force of Katanga gendarmerie spearheaded bySouth African mercenaries npw occupied the town and its airport, together with United Nations Nigerian soldiers. Congolese troops nominally loyal to the Left-wing regime of Mr Antoine Gizenga and Baluba tribesmen fanatically hostile to President Tshombe of Katanga had withdrawn from Manono but were believed to be regrouping in the area.

“The primary stress is on negotiation and the peaceful prevention of clashes.” said

a United Nations spokesman. “Force will be used only to prevent a breach of peace.” Mr Mekki Abbas, head of the United Nations operation in the Congo, drove off hurriedly this morning for a meeting with the Congolese Prime Minister, Mr Joseph Ileo, to "review the situation.” General Sean McKeown, the United Nations military commander from Ireland, had a similar meeting with the Congolese Commander - inChief, General Joseph Mobutu. A United Nations spokes-

man said the world body had made it clear to Mr Tshombe on several occasions that force should not be used by him to settle disputes in the Congo.

The Gurkha troops began taking off for the United Nations base at Kamina early this morning. They carried

machine guns, rifles, mortars and batons in their equipment.

The Associated Press reported from Eiisabethville that South African and British mercenary , troops serving in the Katanga Army were today credited officially with having made the capture of Manono effective. Katanga Government officials confirmed that the English - speaking “elite corps” had borne the brunt of fighting south of Manono. The officials said the elite corps, advancing on Manono from the township of Piana, had wiped out all major pockets of resistance from Gizengist troops and entered the town at the head of other columns of the Katanga Army.