Our thanks to Jerry Pry for providing this document.
| ERITREA REPORTS CHRISTIANS, MOSLEMS IN BLOODY RIOT |
ASMARA, ERITREA, FEB. 21 (AP)-- SWORD-WIELDING MOSLEMS AND CHRISTIANS CLASHED IN A BLOODY RIOT TODAY. INCOMPLETE CASUALTY FIGURES INDICATED AT LEAST 11 DEAD AND 50 WOUNDED, AND FIGHTING STILL WAS RAGING AT 10 P.M. TONIGHT. BRITISH TROOPS, OCCUPYING THIS FORMER ITALIAN COLONY IN EAST AFRICA SINCE THE WAR, RUSHED TO THE RIOT SCENE TO REINFORCE HARD-PRESSED POLICE. (AN ARAB NEWS AGENCY DISPATCH TO CAIRO SAID AMERICAN TROOPS ALSO WERE INVOLVED. AMERICAN SOURCES EXPRESSED SKEPTICISM, HOWEVER, SAYING THE ONLY UNITED STATES SERVICEMEN THERE ARE A SMALL GROUP OF ARMY AND NAVY TECHNICIANS WHO OPERATE THE ASMARA RADIO RELAY STATION.) THE RIOTING WAS TOUCHED OFF LAST NIGHT BY THE SLAYING OF A MOSLEM MINOR OFFICIAL TODAY--- A MILE-LONG PROCESSION OF UNIFORMED MOSLEM YOUTH TOOK PART--THREE HAND GRENADES WERE TOSSED FROM SOME POINT NEAR THE MOSLEM CEMETERY. STONES BEGAN FLYING IN ALL DIRECTIONS. THE MOSLEMS TURNED ON THEIR ATTACKERS, BRANDISHING SWARDS AND KNIVES. THE NATIVE POPULATION INCLUDES COPTIC CHRISTIOANS, MOSLEMS, A FEW ROMAN CATHOLICS AND SOME PAGANS. |