SOMALIA: HEAVY GUNFIRE AS UN TROOPS WITHDRAW

(1 Mar 1995) English/Nat

Heavy gunfire was exchanged Wednesday as Pakistani troops withdrew behind U-S lines in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

As the forces pulled out, Somali citizens moved onto the city's airfield and began looting, say reports.

As the last of the Pakistani armour pulled out, hundreds of Somalis overran the airport and started looting.

Somali militiamen's armed vehicles or "technicals" followed them in, and gunfire was heard as the militia started chasing some of the looters away.

At one point it seemed the militias' vehicles were getting too close to the U-N lines, and Operation Desert Shield commander, U-S Marine Lt. Gen. Tony Zinni was forced to bring in air support to protect his troops.

A few warning shots were fired, but there are no reports yet of any casualties.

SOUNDBITE:
"The next level, which was warning shots at that point - we ought to do it - he felt that the one technical we could see was getting very close to the entrance and it was time to let them just know we were here. We had talked about that and at that time he said go ahead and fire the warning shots - I was right there with him."
SUPER CAPTION: Lt. General . Tony Zinni

Once the Pakistani force has sailed later on Thursday, the U-S and Italian troops will pull back to the beach and then withdraw, covered by helicopters and warplanes from U-N warships now waiting offshore.

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