Bombing Report Names Portugal

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31118, 22 July 1966, Page 11

Bombing Report Names Portugal

(N Z PA. Reuter—-Copyright)

LUSAKA, July 21.

Portuguese aircraft were today reported to have dropped bombs in areas near Zambia’s Balovale district close to the border with Angola.

The incidents took place in the last 24 hours, according to a Government announcement. A spokesman for Zambia’s President Kenneth Kaunda said that senior Army, Air Force and Government officials had been rushed to the area.

The President would make known what further steps would be taken after the officials had reported back, the spokesman said. Recently several hundred

refugees have crossed Into Zambia from the Portuguese territory of Angola where insurgents have been in conflict with Portuguese troops. The Zambian spokesman said today that security forces in the Balovale area were now being strengthened. First reports did not make clear where the bombs actually dropped or whether anyone was injured. Angola, on Zambia’s western border, covers 481,000 square miles and has a population of 5,000,000 of whom 250,000 are white. Guerrilla war broke out there in 1961 and Portugal sent troops to restore order. Since then there has been sporadic insurgent activity. The United Nations set up a sub-committee in May, 1961, to inquire into the situation, but Portugal claimed that Angola was an integral part of her territory and denied that United Nations had competence to discuss it.

Britain maintains a squadron of Javelin jet planes in Zambia to protect the border with Rhodesia.