Army mutinies in Jordan

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33454, 8 February 1974, Page 9

Army mutinies in Jordan

(NZ. Press Association—Copyright' BEIRUT, February’ 7. King Hussein of Jordan raised military pay scales last night in an effort to quell a four-day-old mutiny by elements of his Bedouin Army, the Associated Press reported. But fresh reports reaching Beirut said that the mutiny was still not over. The Jordanian Government imposed a blackout on news of the crisis. Sources in Amman, reached by telephone from Beirut, declined to comment.

However, the Palestinian! news agency W.A.F.A., controlled by the Palestinian guerrilla leadership, which is strongly hostile to King Hussein, said that the uprising was picking up momentum and was extremely serious. W.A.F.A. said that rebellious units surrounded Jordan’s only petroleum refinery at the Army garrison town of Zerqa, 15 miles north of the capital of Amman. It also said that troops had circled the State-owned radio, the Army staff headquarters and one of King Hussein’s palaces.

I These reports could not be ; independently verified. Sources in Beirut said that it was possible that loyalist troops had been deployed in some instances around key installations and the Royal palace. Well-sourced reports from Amman originally said the uprising was confined to Zerqa. W.A.F.A. said that the mutiny was spearheaded by the elite 40th armoured brigade which saw action on the Syrian front during the October war and was later joined by the 60th armoured

brigade. Machine-gun fire; was reportedly heard in the district of Khaw, near Zerqa. Several army officers were arrested, while the mutineers were demanding the resignation of the Cabinet and its Prime Minister, Mr Zeid Rifai, the ouster of the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant-General Zeid Ben Shaker, and the raising of salaries of the officers and men, said W.A.F.A.