Troops Close On Algiers

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29916, 1 September 1962, Page 11

Troops Close On Algiers

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) ALGIERS, August 31. Algiers is a semi-besieged city today as ben Bellist troops supported by artillery slowly close an iron grip around the capital. Its inhabitants awoke this morning to await the outcome of a day which could decide between civil war and peace for the troubled country.

Ben Bellist troops, supported by artillery, were last night halted at strategic points, some only 60 miles away from Algiers, the Associated Press reported.

Late last night, telephone and telegraph connexions between the central and western part of the country were cut. Heavy convoys of

ben Bellist troops were moving along three highways towards Algiers. Algiers tensed itself, and troops of Willaya IV, the politico-military command holding the Algiers region, set up road blocks leading into the city. Reuter reported. Willaya IV, supported by Willaya 111 (the Kabylie Mountains command) announced it would resist any attack against Algiers, but would not shoot first.

Ben Bellist troops were reported at Setif, about 180 miles east of Algiers, and at Affreville and Oreansville, about 60 and 120 miles respectively to the south-west of the capital, Reuter said. The British United Press reported that a communique issued by Willaya IV said that ben Bellist troops had reached Tiaret. Relizane, Birnie and Sidi-Aissa, all key towns on the main roads linkir ’ Algiers with western Algeria.

Usually well - informed sources in Algiers said convoys of heavily armed troops were also on the way from the Oran region, whose politico-military command is one of the four supporting Mr ben Bella. The sources said artillery was reported to be moving in from the Mosrtanganem area, also in Western Algeria. A spokesman for Willaya IV said late last night that none of the ben Bellist troops had crossed the Willaya’s borders yet. But Willaya IV seemed hardly in a position to carry out its threat to defend Algiers and its territory against an attack, the Associated Press said. The capital’s present garrison had no more than 4000 men, whose military experiences consisted mainly of ambushes against French troops and attacks on civilian motorists during the Algerian rebellion.