Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-09
IRAQ
IEAQ
Rebel Forces Claiming March
On Boghdod to Gust Premier

News Agency Closed
Egypt's Middle East New,
Agency announced that the
Iraqi military governor general
Brig. Ahmed Saleh Elabdi, had
issued an order closing its Of
fees ir Baghdad without givine
q reason.
Col. Shawaf's word to the
Iraqi people was:
II win stay and the brave
Iraqi army Is determined 70
free YOU from opportunisrn and
~misrule. -.
II shall fight until Kassem's
insane dictatorship Is crushed
:. the people and army have
widely supported our revolt and
pledged themselves to fight 70
the death the dying dictator
and his hired gang who be-
trayed the principles OF the
July IA revolution"
The Mosul radio declared
Arab trihesmen had started
moving In support Of the rebel
lion and that the people Of
Ramadi. 50 miles due west OF
Baghdad, have joined the
blessed revolution and are
marching with the army on
Baghdad."
Urged to Take Up Arms
= The Premier was denounced
as a traitor, oppressor and die
tator. The people were urged
to take up arms against Gen.
Kassem. who headed the army
revolt that toppled King Fai-
sails pro-Western monarchy
last July.
Join the revolution" urged
the Mosul station, which calls
itself the radio Of the Iraqi Re-
public. Garry arms and shoot
the traitors wherever they are,
DO not let the traitors lure you
because they are going to
spread fear in the country and
kill your young people and chill
dren >. We are going TO smash
the opportunists."
There was q warning against
foreign Intervention. A rebel
communique said "our move
ment is purely an internal one.
concerning the Iraqi people
alone"
Little information seeped out
. about affairs within Baghdad,
but q report reaching Beirut
described the situation as ex-
tremely dangerous for Ameri.
cans and Europeans.
Hotel Barricaded
A hotel catering to Europeans
was reported to have locked
and barred its doors, keeping
about 40 persons inside.
Another report said Bagh-
dads streets were filled yester-
day with armed groups and
shooting was heard after dis
turbances we're set OF by q big
pro-Nasser demonstration. Po-
lice were reported to have been
unable to control the town, the
scene Of a blood bath last July.
A spokesman Of the Iraq
Petroleum Co. said it had been
unable TO obtain any ofiicial
word concerning the safety Of
its employees. The company has
about 800 European and 1900
TO 10000 Idaqis on the payroll
In Iraq.
Rich Oil Fields
The company, in which Brit
ish. American, French and
Dutch capital Is represented,
pumps a yearly average Of %
million tons Of oil out Of the
northern fields.
Arab sources In Cairo said
Col. Shawaf Is anti Commu-
mist, strongly nationalistic and
a supporter Of Arab solidarity.
q description regarded there as
putting him in the camp Of the
United Arab Republics Presi-
lent Nasser.
He was reported to be 40
years old, married and the son
of Sheik Abdel Malal Shawaf,
q dignitary Of the Sunni Mos
lem sect and a former Mutt.
Among his duties in the revolu-
ton las year was guarding OF
foreign diplomatic missions. He
is reported to have criticized
Gen Kassem later for delays in
putting a land reform program
into effect.
Reward for Leader
Radio Baghdad claimed at
one time in the battle Of the
airways that Col. Shawaf was
fleeing toward the Syrian
border. 1t offered q $4,000
reward for him, dead or alive.
Later the government radio
slain by some Of his own SOL
diers.
ierS.
The rebel radio in turn said
still later that Gen. Kassem's
regime had almost collapsed"
A government broadcast said
loyal troops we're in complete
control Of MoSul. These are
our loyal troops and people"
the rebel radio replied. "They
now control Mosul and soon
will control Baghdad."
At the same time the Mosul
radio appeared to temper ear
lier claims that the rebels con-
trolled all of North Iraq. A
broadcast appealed to army
units in the North Iraq oil CEN
ter Of Kirkuk as well as in the
capital to aid in destroying
the tyrant Kassem.
Quoting the military gov
ernor general Of Iraq, Ahmed
Saleh Elabdi, Baghdad radio
said Col Shawaf he's hna,,