KATANGA ARMY MOBILISED

Press, Volume C, Issue 29480, 5 April 1961, Page 15

KATANGA ARMY MOBILISED

U.N. Troops Arrest Tshombe Invaders (N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) ELISABETHVILLE, April 4. Swedish United Nations troops today disarmed and arrested a platoon of Belgian-led Katanga troops who invaded and attempted to take over control of Elisabethville airport under cover of darkness, Associated Press reported. The 25-strong platoon—ail armed with automatic weapons —surrendered to 12 Swedish troops without any resistance. Seven Katanga police were also captured and disarmed. A United Nations official, who spoke to the President of Katanga, Mr Moise Tshombe, about the arrests, told reporters: “He is almost frantically angry.”

All Katanga troops were mobilised and ordered to report for “emergency duties” immediatelyAll white officers in the Katanga Army were summoned from their beds at 5 a.m. The entire Swedish battalion was put on the alert and about 100 Swedes were rushed to the airport. The Katanga troops were believed to be attempting to seize control of the airport to prevent the arrival of nearly 1000 Gurkha troops for the United Nations forces. President Tshombe has warned that the arrival of the Gurkhas “could mean war.’* The arrested Katanga troops were held at the airport under armed guard until dawn when they were driven to the city in three United Nations vehicles and released. U-N. Surrounded At daybreak, a force of Katanga troops took up battle stations around the United Nations headquarters in downtown Elisabethville. The headquarters building was completely sealed off. Heavy machine-gun posts were set up outside President Tshombe’s residence. The United Nations has taken over complete control of the airport, including the control tower. Associated Press said. A complete ban has been placed on all Kat-

anga Air Force military and civilian flights. Mr Tshombe tried to secure the immediate release of the captured troops. But his telephone calls to the chief United Nations representative in Katanga, Mr Georges Dumontet and to Sweden’s Colonel Anders Kjellgren, the United Nations commander in South Katanga, who personally led the capture of the Katanga platoon, were unsuccessful. Action by Tshombe President Tshombe then ordered the electric power serving the airport to be switched off. All approaches to the airport have been barred with seven feet high barbed wire barricades, and the United Nations troops have set up machine-gun posts. The Swedes are also manning armour-piercing antitank guns mounted on the roof of the airport building. Rolls of barbed wire straddle all entrances to the building and to other airport approaches. The capture of the invading force at the airport came with dramatic suddenness. Reporters summoned to the airport found the dishevelled and despondent group of Katanga Army troops—still wearing their camouflage fighting tunics—huddled behind an iron barrier in the main building, guarded by two Swedish United “Nations troops armed with Sten guns. A pile of captured automatic rifles and other weapons were stacked to one side. In a far corner, the Belgian officer who led the unsuccessful attack, sat slumped in a chair, with a lone Swede guarding him. A Swedish officer identified him as Second-Lieutenant (Adjutant) Nicholas. Invaders Surrender An Aide to Colonel Kjellgren said that at about 1 a.m. one of the Swedish airport guards reported that shadowy

figures were moving about the airport runways. Colonel Kjellgren took charge of a group of 12 soldiers, all armed with Sten guns, and went out on to the runway. They crept up silently in a circle around the Katanga platoon and surrounded them. Colonel Kjellgren ordered them to lay down their arms and surrender. The aide added: ‘‘At first it seemed as though they were going to fight, but when the Belgian officer saw they were surrounded, he ordered his men to surrender.” They were marched to the airport building. Shortly before dawn, the prisoners were ordered out of their pen. and offered coffee and sandwiches. All refused—except the Belgian officer.