MEN WAITING TO ENLIST AND SHOUTING SLOGANS; MEN AND WOMEN SIGNING; MEN AT MEDICAL EXAMINATION; LORRY ARRIVING FOR VOLUNTEERS.




Initials AB/VS/MR/JG



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: ALGERIA HAS STEEPED UP ITS COMMITMENT TO THE ARAB CAUSE IN THE MIDDLE EAST WITH REPEATED STATEMENTS THAT ALGERIA IS STILL DETERMINED TO FIGHT TO THE END. THE STATEMENTS WERE BEING REPEATED ON THE NATIONAL - RADIO HOURS AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT AT THE UNITED NATIONS THAT EGYPT WAS READY TO ACCEPT THE CEASE FIRE. MEANTIME ALGERIANS HAVE BEEN STREAMING INTO ARMY BARRACKS TO VOLUNTEER FOR ACTIVE SERVICE.

ONE TO THE BUSIEST RECRUITING CENTRES WAS AT AL KHODJA BARRACKS AS SOME 500 MEN AND WOMEN WAITED TO VOLUNTEER. AS THEY CHANTED ANTI-ISRAELI SLOGANS. AFTER ENLISTING THEY WERE MEDICALLY EXAMINED AND TAKEN BY LORRY FOR TRAINING.

YESTERDAY (8 JUNE 1967) ALGERIA WITHDREW ITS TRAINEES IN MILITARY SCHOOLS IN EASTERN EUROPE IN A MOVE THAT WAS WIDELY INTERPRETED AS A SIGN OF ALGERIAN DISPLEASURE AT RUSSIA'S ATTITUDE TO THE MIDDLE EAST CRISIS.

OFFICIAL FIGURES ARE AVAILABLE, BUT SOURCES ESTIMATE THERE ARE ABOUT 200 ALGERIANS CURRENTLY STUDYING AT MILITARY ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE SOVIET UNION.

THE DEFENCE MINISTRY'S ANNOUNCEMENT CAME AS ALGERIAN TROOPS AND PLANES BEGAN TO FLOW STEADILY TO THE MIDDLE EAST BATTLEFRONT VIA EGYPT. ACCORDING TO USUALLY RELIABLE REPORTS ALGERIA PLANNED TO SEND UP TO 40,000 TROOPS, MANY OF ITS SOVIET-BUILT MIG JET FIGHTERS, WHICH NUMBER ABOUT 80, AND ABOUT 40 SOVIET-BUILT TANKS.