Arabs Dynamite Oil Tanks In Aden

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31407, 28 June 1967, Page 17

Arabs Dynamite Oil Tanks In Aden

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) ADEN, June 27. Dynamite explosions near Aden yesterday wr»ked two giant tanks belonging to the American-owned Esso Oil Company, destroying six million gallons of heavy fuel, United Press International reported.

The tanks were destroyed at Hiswa, 15 miles from Aden, after two attempts to destroy installations belonging to the British Petroleum Company. Terrorists also blew holes in three huge oil tanks in Aden’s harbour area yesterday, destroying about 40,000 tons of oil, the Associated

Press reported. There was no fire.

A spokesman for the Mobil Oil Company said: “We are doing all we can to stop the flow, but the charges blew off the valves.” The terrorism is the work of rival Arab Nationalist groups—mostly pro-Egyptian —who want to seize control of the Federation of South Arabia when Britain grants independence next January. “Patients Removed” The Arab staff of a local hospital claimed yesterday that British troops, supported by armoured cars, cordoned off the building on Sunday and removed two patients. A third patient was removed yesterday, the staff claimed. All three—an Arab and two Somalis—had been badly beaten before they entered hospital, it was alleged. Britain’s Defence Ministry said in London that they had no knowledge of British troops forcing their way into an Aden hospital and removing two patients. Commenting on allegations made by the hospital staff that British troops had cordoned off the hospital compound, the spokesman said

that a British Army patrol had been shot on by the occupants of a car.

The patrol chased the car, which crashed through a wall around the hospital grounds. The troops then arrested the occupants, some of whom had been wounded in the crash. Arab Shot

A British Marine commando with a telescopic rifle yesterday shot an Arab seen carrying a weapon on a rooftop in Crater Town, which is ringed by several hundred troops. The commando, from his position on a volcanic mountain ridge overlooking the district, saw the Arab fall from a four-storey building. The troops have besieged Crater since 12 British soldiers died in an ambush there last Tuesday. Crisis Caused A Cabinet crisis has occurred in the South Arabian Federal Government over the continued British military siege of Crater Town. The South’ Arabian Federal Minister of Health, Mr Abdul Rahman Girgrah, said last night that he and three other Adeni Ministers of the Federal Government would resign if nothing was done to help the people of Aden.