COMMUNISTS IN CONGO

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30512, 6 August 1964, Page 17

COMMUNISTS IN CONGO

Rebel Invasion Of Stanleyville (N.ZP.A.-Reuter—Copyright) LEOPOLDVILLE, August 5. Congolese Army reinforcements are being rushed to Stanleyville the Congo’s third largest city, 800 miles from Leopoldville—where late last night loyal troops were battling invading Communist rebels in the streets.

The last message received came from the Stanleyville airport control tower. It said gunfire w’as getting close and officials were about to close the airport.

It is not known whether all the planes taking refugees from the provincial capital managed to take off before the closure. There are about 700 non-Congolese in the town.

Three dramatic radio messages from Mr Michael Hoyt, the United States consul in Stanleyville yesterday, gave the first news of the rebel sortie into the city. One said Congolese army troops were advancing across the front lawn of the consulate and seemed to be pushing the rebels back.

The second said the army was advancing rapidly to Wanie Rukula, about 30 miles to the south-east, where the main rebel force was being held. The last said the consulate flagpole had been riddled by gunfire, though the U.S. flag was still flying.

The rebels fighting through the streets were thought to be a lightly armed group in trucks who had outflanked the army’s defences at Wanie Rukula. The rebels took over an empty army barracks in Stanleyville.

Troops are being sent to retake them.

There are about 600 troops of the national army in the city.

More troop reinforcements left Leopoldville yesterday for the tin mining town of Manono, near the east Katanga provincial border, as rebel forces were reported advancing on the town. Army headquarters would not confirm reports of a successful Congolese army action about 70 miles north of the Kamina military base in which 40 rebels were said to have been killed.