- Title: ALBANIA: REBELS LOOT WEAPONS AS UPRISING SPREADS
- Date: 13th March 1997
- Summary: DURRES, ALBANIA (MARCH 13, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV PEOPLE RUNNING IN STREET WITH GUNS 0.05 2. SLV PEOPLE LOOTING GUN STORE 0.17 3. SLV MAN DRAGGING GUNS LOOTED FROM STORE BEHIND HIM 0.23 4. SLV YOUNG MAN RUNNING WITH LOOTED GUNS 0.29 5. SLV PEOPLE CARRYING LOOTED GUNS AND BOXES OF AMMUNITION / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE (3 SHOTS) 0.38 6. SLV WOMAN CARRYING GUN / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE (2 SHOTS) 0.50 7. GV OUT TO SEA / VARIOUS OF SHIPS OUT AT SEA (3 SHOTS) 1.06 TIRANA 8. LV/SLV STREET SCENES (3 SHOTS) 1.19 9. SLV EXTERIOR BRITISH EMBASSY PEOPLE OUTSIDE /BRITISH EMBASSY SIGN ON WALL (2 SHOTS) 1.31 10. SLV PEOPLE GATHERING FOR EVACUATION, PEOPLE WITH BELONGINGS OUTSIDE EMBASSY 1.37 11. SCU CHRIS HANDS, RESEARCHER FOR BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY, SAYING HE'S NOT REALLY BEEN CONCERNED FOR HIS OWN PERSONAL SAFETY TILL NOW. NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHAT IS GOING ON BUT NOW WE HAVE HAD THE DIRECTIVE TO GO AND EVERYBODY IS COMING IN (ENGLISH) 2.00 12. SCU ITALIAN JOURNALISTS REMOVING BELONGINGS FROM BACK OF CAR (2 SHOTS) 2.12 13. SLV JOURNALISTS PACKING UP AND LEAVING HOTEL PUTTING BELONGINGS INTO CAR/ CAR DRIVING AWAY (5 SHOTS) 2.44 14. SCU MAYOR OF TIRANA ALBERT BROJKA ON TELEVISION APPEALING FOR CALM (ALBANIAN) 3.00 15. SLV LOOTING AT GRAIN WAREHOUSES / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE / PEOPLE CARRYING OFF SACKS OF GRAIN (4 SHOTS) 3.22 16. GV CENTRAL TIRANA SQUARE 3.27 17. HAS ARMED REBELS WALKING ACROSS CENTRAL SQUARE 3.35 18. HAS POLICE VAN DRIVING ACROSS CENTRAL SQUARE 3.44 19. HAS ARMED MEN WALKING ACROSS SQUARE 3.50 20. HAS POLICE CAR DRIVING ACROSS SQUARE 3.58 21. GV HELICOPTER FLYING OVERHEAD (2 SHOTS) 4.07 TIRANA, ALBANIA (MARCH 13, 1997) (ALBANIAN TV - ACCESS ALL) 22. SLV PRESIDENT SALI BERISHA AND PRIME MINISTER BASHKIM FINO SIGNING DOCUMENTS (ALBANIAN NARRATION) (4 SHOTS) 4.34 SARANDE, ALBANIA (MARCH 13, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 23. GV UNITED STATES (U.S.) MILITARY SHIPS PASSING PORT (4 SHOTS) 4.56 24. LV ARRIVAL OF GREEK NAVY SHIP CARRYING AID SUPPLIES 5.02 25. SV ARMED REBELS (2 SHOTS) 5.11 26. LV LINE OF PEOPLE WATCH SHIPS ARRIVE 5.15 27. SLV SUPPLIES BEING UNLOADED ONTO BACK OF TRUCK (6 SHOTS) 5.50 Initials S3 P3 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 28th March 1997 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: TIRANA AND DURRES, ALBANIA
- City:
- Country: Albania
- Reuters ID: LVA3STV7ASE16UIBC8KHEPPRQD5T
- Story Text: - INTRO: Rebels all over Albania have continued to loot weapons and ammunition as the uprising spreads to Tirana.
Many foreigners residing in the country are preparing for evacuation.
Albania's chaotic armed insurgency spread through the north of the country on Thursday (March 13) as looters raided military bases for weapons and wandered around the streets with their newly-acquired weapons.
In the town of Durres, people raided military stores, saying that they wanted to arm themselves to protect themselves in a "religious war from the south." Ferry boats that normally trade around the port slipped their moorings and stayed away from the town. People in the port were trying to board the boats so ferry operators stayed away to avoid trouble.
In the capital, Tirana, British residents gathered around the British embassy after plans to evacuate more than 120 British and other nationals from Albania were announced.
As widescale looting continued throughout the city, the mayor of Tirana, Albert Brojka, appeared on state television and appealed for calm.
But armed rebels had already reached the centre, blatantly walking across the central square with their weapons.
At the presidency, meanwhile, President Sali Berisha officially filled out the documents appointing Prime Minister Bashkim Fino.
U.S. military ships carrying helicopters were spotted off the coast of the southern Albanian port town of Sarande amid rumours that they may be part of an evacuation attempt of U.S. citizens in the country.
The U.S. State Department said it was ordering 160 government employees and their dependents to leave by regular or charter flights. Another 2,000 Americans were urged to go.
A Greek navy minesweeper sailed into the harbour of Sarande and later docked in order to unload a cargo of food and medical supplies for Albanian citizens.
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