RECENT FIGHTING OUTSIDE ONITSHA; FEDERAL TROOPS ADVANCING; SOLDIERS FIRING MORTARS; BURNING HUTS; DEAD SOLDIERS.




Initials DHC/VS/BHH/FR



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Background: LATEST REPORTS INDICATE THAT FEDERAL NIGERIAN FORCES ARE PUSHING HARD AGAINST THE VITAL TOWN OF ONITSHA, IN BIAFRA, THE NAME ADOPTED BY NIGERIA'S BREAKAWAY EASTERN REGION. FEDERAL FORCES CLAIM TO HAVE CAPTURED AWKA, THE IMPORTANT "BACK-DOOR" TO ONITSHA, AND CLAIM THAT FIGHTING FOR THE TOWN IS IN ITS FINAL PHASES.

A REPORT YESTERDAY (FRIDAY) BY BIAFRAN SOURCES SAID THE FEDERAL FORCES WERE TRYING TO BREAK THROUGH AWKA AND PUSH ON TO ONITSHA. THE BIAFRAN DENY THAT THE FEDERAL TROOPS HAVE TAKEN AWKA.

IN OUR FILM FEDERAL SOLDIERS ARE SEEN PUSHING TOWARDS THEIR GOAL. SINCE THE CIVIL WAR STARTED EARLY LAST YEAR FIGHTING TECHNIQUES HAVE BECOME MORE SOPHISTICATED -- MORTARS ARE IN WIDESPREAD USE, AND FIRE-POWER HAS INCREASED GENERALLY.

AND WITH THE BUILD-UP IN SUPPLIES THERE HAS BEEN A CONSEQUENT RISE IN CASUALTIES. IN ONE RECENT BOMBING RAID ON THE BIAFRAN TOWN OF AWGA, FOR INSTANCE, MORE THAN 100 MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN WERE KILLED.

BUT THE SEIZURE OF ONITSHA COULD PROVE A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH FOR THE FEDERAL FORCES, AND AT THIS STAGE THEY ARE PREPARED TO LOSE MORE LIVES THAN USUAL IN THEIR FIGHT FOR THE TOWN.