Rhodesian raids imperil proposed peace talks with guerrilla leaders

Press, 23 October 1978, Page 1

Rhodesian raids imperil proposed peace talks with guerrilla leaders

-'IZPA Salisbury Rhodesian troops have returned home from Zambia and Mozambique after their boldest series of attacks into black Africa since their war with nationalist guerrillas began six years ago. A military communique said that the white-led Rhodesian forces penetrated 200 km into Zambia on Thursday and Friday to attack 12 black nationalist guerrilla camps. At least 500 guerrillas, and possibly more than 1500, were killed inside Zambia for the loss of only one Rhodesian soldier killed, and one wounded according to the communique. Large quantities of arms, explosives, and equipment were seized ‘and destroyed. Zambia however, said that its forces inflicted heavy casualties on the Rhodesian troops. In Washington, the State Department renewed its criticism of the Rhodesian raids. “We continue to deplore this latest cycle of violence,” a department spokesman said. The Rhodesian Prime Minister (Mr Smith) said in Salisbury on his return from the United States: “As long as the terrorists keep coming in, we have

the right to attack them at their bases.” The Rhodesian troops entered Mozambique at dawn on Wednesday to strike at bases of the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (Z.A.N.L.A.) of the Patriotic Front guerrilla leader (Mi Robert Mugabe). While the Mozambique raids continued on Thursday, jet jombers and heli-copter-lifted troops went into Zambia, the home base for the guerrillas of Mr Mugabe’s ally, Mr Joshua Nkomo. As the raids progressed, the Supreme Executive Council of Rhodesia’s biracial transitional Government — Mr Smith, Bishop Abel Muzorewa, the Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole, and Chief Jeremiah Chirau — ended their American tour. While in America, they had agreed to attend an ail-parties peace conference with the Patriotic Front. However, Mr Nkomo. speaking after the raids, said: ‘Go and talk to these murderers? . . No, let’s face them on the battlefie'

The Rhodesian military headouarters said that the attacks in Zambia were launched against the headquarters of Mr Nkomo’s Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army

(Z.1.P.R.A.), 20km from the capital of Lusaka and 150 km from the frontier. It is believed that the headquarters camp held about 3000 Z.I.P.R.A. guerrillas, who were all in a small area when the Rhodesians struck, first with bombers and then with troops flown in by helicopter. Mr Nkomo said that 226 people were killed, but the Rhodesians assert the toll was much higher. As the attack began, the Zambians were apparently warned to clear civilian planes from the area and not to interfere. Sources said that a Rhodesian Air ' T orce jec figher circled Lusaka Airport during the 30min strike, ready to fire on anything that moved on the runway. After that raid, the Rhodesians attacked two other Z.I.P.R.A. bases and nine satellite camps. The deepest penetration was to a camp 150 km north-east of Lusaka, called Mkushi. Correspondents flown into the area afterwards reported seeing the bodies of 50 uniformed blacks. They said that the Rhodesians followed up their assault by systematically destroying buildings and installations still standing. The Rhodesian troops were seen flying in and out of the area several times unhindered, the correspondents said. They said that the area had the appearance of a Rhodesian forward base inside Zam* bia. Two prisoners were produced for the journalists. One was a girl, aged 19, the other, a man aged about 39.

The girl said she had been abducted by guerrillas earlier this year from her home in southwest Rhodesia. Sh° said

that she had arrived ,in Zambia after a two-week march and had survived Thursday’s raid by hiding in a foxhole. It is believed that the transitional Government in Rhodesia is carrying its war with the Patriotic Front into guerrilla home areas to consolidate its position and counter Patriotic Front threats ta smash the one-man, onevote elections which the Government has promised Rhodesia’s 6.8 M blacks and 250,000 whites. The strikes are also believed to have the aim of strengthening the Government’s negotiating position in any neace talks which might be held with the Patriotic Front.

They may also be de= signed to boost white morale after an Air Rhodesia Viscount airliner was shot down by guerrillas, and the eastern border city of Umtali was bombarded. However, the London “Sunday Telegraph” has reported that the Viscount was hit by a British-made Rapier missile fired by the Zambian Regular Army, and not by Rhodesian nationalist guerrillas. The newspaper, quoting African diplomatic sources in Lusaka and nationalist sources in Salisbury, said that the missile was fired from Zambian territory, probably by accident during an exercise.

The Zambian president (Mr Kenneth Kuanda) asked Mr Nkomo to claim responsibility for the incident to avoid embarrassing his own Government, the newspaper said. Britain has supplied Zambia with several mobile Rapier missile launchers, which are deployed along the frontier with Rhodesia.