ADEN DEATH TOLL RISES

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31521, 8 November 1967, Page 21

ADEN DEATH TOLL RISES

Army Backs One Of Rival Groups

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright)

ADEN, November 7.

Bitter nationalist rivalry for supremacy in South Arabia on the eve of independence threatened more savage fighting today in Aden back streets and alleys where already 100 people have died in four days.

The power struggle reached flashpoint overnight after the 8000-man South Arabian Federal Army aligned itself with the National Liberation Front against the Egyptian-backed Front for the Liberation of Occupied South Yemen.

F.L.O.S.Y. leaders in Cairo hit back by declaring they would continue the armed struggle to achieve their aims. Reports of the F.L.O.S.Y. threat raised fears of more rooftop-and-street mortar, grenade and gun battles. The Federal forces, previously strictly neutral as they made repeated appeals for an end to the fighting, said they recognised the N.L.F. as the only organisation representing the people of South Arabia. Talks Urged Officers of the High Command issued a statement urging Britain to negotiate with the N.L.F. and hand over power immediately. The present wave of fighting first broke out between F.L.O.S.Y. and N.LF men last Friday within hours of a British announcement bringing forward independence to later this month from January 9. The exact date for the hand-over has not yet been announced. The last 24 hours has been the worst of it, more than 30 being killed. Police estimates put the toll of the previous

three days of violence at 70 dead and more than 250 wounded. Bodies—many of women and children —were said to be lying in the streets of Sheikh Othman district, the main trouble spot. Other areas in which there has been trouble are Mansoura und Little , Aden. Religious Appeal A religious leader, Sheikh Mohammed Salem al Beihani, appealed to both sides to stop fighting—at least for 24 hours —to allow women and children to get out of the line of fire. “Has the mercy gone out of your hearts?” he asked at a prayer meeting. “Never have we seen such a day. For Allah’s sake, stop this killing!” Federal army units trying desperately to control the situation at one stage ran out of ammunition. In another area armoured cars manned

by Federal soldiers repeatedly fired into F.L.O.S.Y. gun positions to silence them. But even a blinding sandstorm did not halt the conflict. Doubts Raised Latest developments raised doubts about talks which have been going on in Cairo, between F.L.O.S.Y. and the N.L.F., on ruling the country after independence. According to Cairo reports, F.L.O.S.Y. has rejected an N.L.F. appeal to move the talks to Aden where they could work out an immediate cease-fire. F.L.O.S.Y. delegates did not attend the talks yesterday, the N.L.F. said. A F.L.O.S.Y. spokesman was quoted as saying that his organisation was considering breaking off the talks while the Aden command of the N.L.F. cabled its leaders in Cairo asking them to stop the negotiations.