Evening star., 1952-01-25

ISSUE urn ~ StuSt toHts' @SSS - -
in the battle, which the British
initiated to disarm Egyptian aux
iliary police. The British claimed
the police were fighting them in
stead of keeping order.
An embittered Egyptian cabinet
was called into emergency session.
possibly to consider breaking of
diplomatic relations completely
with the British.
Despite appeals from outside
sources for efforts to make peace
in the Suez, relations between the
British and the Egyptians ap-
peared to be at their worst point
since Egypt Cancelled the 1886
Anglo-Egyptian treaty last Oc-
tober and demanded that British
troops get out of the vital canal
area.
Police Outnumbered 2 to 1.
The fighting began in Ismailia,
midway point in the canal zone,
at dawn. 1t ended shortly after
noon, the British said. when
Egyptian police resistance COL
lapsed.
Outnumbered two to one. the
police had been under orders to
fight to the bitter end. They
fired $4,000 rounds of ammuni-
ton before they yielded.
The fighting occurred at two
main centers - the Egyptian
health center two blocks from the
police headquarters and at the
police headquarters itself.
The British said ii Egyptians
were killed and SIS wounded at
the health center. One was killed
and three were wounded at the
police station. -Four hundred
police surrendered at each place
q total of 800. A British spokes-
man said all would be detained
pending screening and interFo-
CATION"
Shielded by Smoke Screen.
Lancashire Fusiliers moved
against the health center under
a smoke screen because police in
side were sniping at the British.
Before today's fighting the un-
official tabulation showed at least
143 Egyptians and 81 British
killed since last october 16. These
figures were taken from British
communicates and official Egyptian
announcements. Unofficial figures
have gone far beyond those totals.
The biggest previous battles
had been December 3 and 4 when
43 Egyptians and II British were
killed at Suez.
In referring to today's battle,
the British asserted it was neces-
sary to disarm the Egyptian
police because they had connived
at and taken part in attacks on
British forces. A request that
Egypt disarm them was refused.
Every Effort Made.
An official British statement
said the action was launched in
Ismailia only after "every effort
had been made by the British
authorities in Egypt to persuade
the Egyptian authorities cen
cerned to bring the activities OF
these auxiliary police under con-
troll"
But Fouad Serag FL Din, the
Egyptian Interior Minister, Or
dered the police to resist to the
end, meeting force with force. u
He directed the Egyptian side OF
the operation by telephone from
Cairo, an associate said.
Ismailia has been the center OF
intense British and Egyptian
clashes for a week. During a battle
Saturday an American nun was
killed. Britain's main military
headquarters in the Suez cana
zone is located just outside the
city.
Ordered to Lay Down Arms.
The British ordered the Egypt.
ian police to lay down their arms
this morning.
The British said their drive wa
aimed particularly at 800 to 1,0O(
auxiliary police who f1ocked init
the city to aid the regular polic'
in October when trouble frs
broke out in the Suez Canal zone
The British charged the auxil
iaries ipcited and fought in cana
zone skirmishes and Joined guer'
rillas in the Saturday battle II
which the nun was killed.