Coup in Kabul ousts Daud

Gen, Kadir heads Military Council

Change in Afghanistan after heavy fighting
ISLAMABAD, APRIL 27: THE AFGHAN ARMED FORCES TONIGHT SAID THEY HAVE OVERTHROWN THE GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT DAUD AFTER HEAVY FIGHTING IN KABUL.
ghan capital. Kabul Radio made 'the report after diplomatic sources in New Delhi and Islamabad had spoken of fierce fighting in the Afghan capital since noon (0700 GMT) today. The sources said that at least 50 tanks had taken part in the fightIng which centred around the Presidential Palace and the InteKabul Radio reported that a rior and Defence Ministries. Military Revolutionary Council AFP reports that the capital's has taken over In Afghanis- international airport, Air Force tan, m a broadcast in Pushto headquarters and several minisand Persian the Radio named tries had been strafed by MIG Gen Dagarwal Abdul Kadir as jets. leader of the Council. Armed forces seized the interior Ministry, located in central Kabul, Gen Kadir, according to the the reports said, and policemen Radio, had warned that anyone resisting the coup on the roof took heavy fire from the military forces. Diplomatic sources, according to AFP, reported that bodies were seen in the combat zone, and the PESHAWAR, April 27: The Kabul Radio tonight said that President Daud had been "wiped out entirely" and the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council was in complete con- , trol of the country. The Radio did not specify whether President Daud has been killed. -PPL possible to tell whether there is any connection with today'* fighting. Amir Aqbar Khabir, leader of the pro-Soviet Parcham (Flag) Party, wit reportedly murdered on April 17. The Radio report Mid hlj funeral ceremony and procession turned into * demonstration against the. Daud Government and international interests A Kabul Radio broadcast that (iConttaud en pat* T eel 4)

violating the orders of the Military Council would be dealt with. IB * later broadcast, the Radio sVtod the people in Ike Bam* T tea Hendu^ioaary Council . to ; <-. . . , -. r ta frrtfTfra jaod; said ttett a~ctttu; d a y , Mw B i S i W i tlnm"< i n the Af- It was also reported ttat members of President Daud's family had taken shelter in the. French. Embassy. Reuter, quoting diplomatic sources in New Delhi said heavy fighting broke out today in Kabul and bodies lay in the streets. . Messages from Kabul received by embassies in Delhi said more than 50 tanks battled it out in the centre of the. city and that fighter planes hurtled down to unleash rockets. Eye-witnesses said that civilian employees at the Interior Ministry left the building with their hands up. Bodies of victims in both camps were carried away, the eye-witnesses added.

French' Embassy adjoining the Presidential Palace was hit by tank shells. The building was destroyed but no foreign victim* wero reported. Meanwhile it _ was reported that the .'compound of the Presidential Palace was in flames foUowiag MIG strafing .attack* during- the

The fighting centred on the Palace of President Daud, 67 in power since a 1973 coup when he toppled the monarchy of his cousin and brother-in-law, King Zahir Shah. APA in a report from New Delhi said yesterday the Kabul funeral of a leftist political leader developed into an antiGovernment, anti-American demonstration followed by the arrest of six Communist politicians. The demonstration also took place before the US Embassy. However, a Western diplomat in the Indian capital said it was im-

KABUL COUP
I Continued from p*g I) all member* of the Afghanistan Government were in the hand* ol the new authorities. Communications link* from Atghanisbaa were cut 08 at about 5:30 p.m. (1030 GMT). Kabul Radio broadc&st* were halted tor a time and started again with cUratical music before the first announcemerit that the coup had succeeded, The coup announcement carried J message from Gen Abdul Kadir 'to his countrymen" saying that "for the first time is the history of Afghanistan the test remnant* of the cruel and oppressive Nadu Khan dynasty has ended", in New Delhi, the Samacbar news agency quoted an early Kabul Radio broadcast a$ saying that the elements "who were jeopordising national security bad been arrested, and arrest warrants were issued for others who had gone underground. According to diplomatic sources, the number of victims in the coup appeared to be greater than in .July 1973 when President" Daud overthrew Zahir Shah. President Daud was re-elected for a ix-year term in early 1977. In December 1976, authorities uncovered a plot against Daud headed by retired General Mir Ahmed Shah. Other plots have been reported.PFI/AFP/AFP/ Reuter. WASHINGTON: The IJS State Department tonight said that fighting was still going on in Kabul. The State Department spokesman Hodding Carter told reporters that situation was still unclear and it was not known who was behind the coup. He said the US Ambassador to Afghanistan Theodore Eliot, had told American* in th country numbering 1,0ft) to ttav at home.