Evening star., 1961-12-09
TorrentioI Rains Slow Fighting
Between y. n. and Kotonoons
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their homes action will be
taken to destroy the snipers'
nests"
Whites Are Shippers
U. N: officials have COM
planned that white snipers for
Katanga fired on U. N. head
quarters from nearby houses.
A report to the U. N. COM
msnd at Leopoldville said
Indian troops fought off an
attack through the bush around
the Elisabethville airport yes
terday. supported by Indian
Canberra jet aircraft. Two at
tacking companies of Katangan
gendarmes were reported to
have suffered heavy losses.
U. N. sources said the column
OF advancing gendarmes was
led by a huge improviSed tank,
constructed by a private indus
trial firm in Katanga. Built
upon the base of bulldozer the
tank was covered with double
armor plates filled with con-
crete.
The Indians claimed they at
tackled the tank with a recoil-
less rifle and demolished it with
the first shot.
Civilians Warned
A U. N. armored car drove
through the section of town
around the U. N. headquarters
here yesterday with a loud
speaker warning civilians not
to shelter Katangan snipers in
their homes or action would be
taken to destroy the sniperS
nests"
Skirmishes flared on the out
skirts of Elisabethville but the
U, N. forces made no effort to
drive into the center of the
city where the Katangans held
two main military strongholds
President Noise TShombe's
palace and the Lido Hotel.
Brian Urquhart, U. N. politi-
cal advisor, reported to his New
York headquarters that Swed-
ish. Irish and Indian troops
were making good progress in
cleaning up the outskirts" of
the capital and had eliminated
all Katangan roadblockS.
Meanwhile, more political I
outbursts spread around the
world over the United Nations
role in the war-torn province.
AT Brussels, Belgian Foreign
Minister Paul-Henri Spaak con-
demned the U. N. action and
called on acting Secretary Cen
eral U Thant to justify its
lSedI UdSlS dllu dlIIl.
Self-Defense Claimed
At U. N. headquarters in New
York, Mr.. Thant said the U. N.
task force was acting in self
defense. He charged the wealthy ,
Belgian-run Union Miniere Co..
which mines and processes i
much of Katanga's copper and 7
cobalt. furnished bombs and
armored cars used against the
U. N. troops.
At Leopoldville, the Congo
central government said it
would seek outside help to end
the Katanga secession if the
United Nations fails to restore
the province to the legal Congo
lese government. A spokesman
said the central government
would seek aid wherever we
can get it to restore legality
in Katanga. (
In London, Britain an
nounced it would supply "a
half-ton bombs to the U. NJ
force in Katanga. but only on
the condition they be used
strictly for defensive purposes. {
This was taken to include op- l
erations against planes and air
strips maintained by the air !
arm of President Tshombe'S {
forces, but not ground troops.
At Washington, Secretary of {
State Dean Rusk strongly sup s
ported the U. N. operation say
ing the United Nations is not
trying to conquer Katanga but
to secure the U. N. position
against Katanga harasSment.
French Critical
In Paris. French Foreign
Ministry officials sharply criti-
cized armed action by the