U.N. DEATH ROLL

Press, Volume C, Issue 29699, 18 December 1961, Page 15

U.N. DEATH ROLL

17 Killed In Katanga (N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) NEW YORK, Dec. 17. Seventeen United Nations soldiers had been killed in the fighting in Katanga since November 24, the senior United Nations military advised, Brigadier I. J. Rikhye, said yesterday. November 24 was the date of a Security Council resolution authorising the use of force to detain mercenaries and political advisers in Katanga without U.N. sanction. Brigadier Rikhye briefed correspondents on the military side of the Katangese operation after the meeting yesterday of the SecretaryGeneral's Congo Advisory Committee. Four Ethiopians were killed at the Lido Hotel in Elisabethville yesterday by Katangese mortar-fire from the vicinity of a church. Brigadier Rikhye said. He said that 49 U.N. men had been wounded, including 24 Irish soldiers. Sixteen U N. troops were missing, including 11 Swedish soldiers. Brigadier Rikhye said that the Katangese Air Force had been virtually destroyed, but two aircraft still were in operation a German-made Dornier 28 and a British Dove. The pilots were Rhodesians, he said. One was named Wicksend and the other MicTaven. He also said that the “main supply line of the Katangese from Rhodesia" had been cut by the operational phase which began on Friday. The Katangese forces continued to use the telecommunications system of the Union Miniere mining concern. To stop that, the U.N. would have had to knock out the entire electricity grid serving Union Miniere factories. he said. Nuclear Ship.— Britain is to spend £3m in three years on research into the building of a nuclear-powered merchant ship, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Science (Mr Freeth) told tl-e House of Commons.—London. December 17.