Bia fan Govt Moves

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31967, 19 April 1969, Page 13

Bia fan Govt Moves

f N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

GENEVA, April 18.

The Biafran Government had left its administration capital, Umuahia. after shelling of the area by Nigerian Federal forces, sources close to international relief agencies said in Geneva last night.

The sources said Biafran forces appeared to be falling back westward on the Imo River, which runs from north to south to the west of Umuahia. The I.R.C.C. still has two distribution teams east of the river, one run by Swedish Red Cross workers at Nzulu, and the other run by American Seventh Day Adventists at Okpuala-Ngwa. officials said. According to information received from Biafra, all was calm yesterday in the town. Biafra’s biggest remaining stronghold. Officials of the Interna-1

tional Red Cross Committee said they had received no information yesterday, but; the all-Swiss committee's re-! lief teams were working normally at Abiriba, south of Umuahia, close to the front.! Yesterday, the I.R.C.C.[ announced that it had evacuated its headquarters in Umuahia, moving to Orlu and the neighbouring village of Urnuowa. Radio Biafra resumed broadcasting yesterday after a four-day silence. it gave no explanation for the break, but observers have taken it as a sign that the itransmitters had been moved.-