ZIMBABWE: SECURITY FORCES CONTINUE SEARCH FOR KIDNAPPED TOURISTS

Record ID: 649489

  • Title: ZIMBABWE: SECURITY FORCES CONTINUE SEARCH FOR KIDNAPPED TOURISTS
  • Date: 2nd August 1982
  • Summary: July 30: GV Troops patrol African village near Bulawayo. (2 SHOTS) GV Troops searching truck, and people's belongings at roadblock. (5 SHOTS) GV PAN Armoured personnel carrier on patrol. JULY 31: GV PULL BACK TO LV People queuing at Bulawayo bakery for bread. (2 SHOTS) SVs INTERIOR People inside bakery. GV PAN EXTERIOR People queuing outside bakery. GV Soldiers on patrol in bush as Lynx aircraft flies overhead. (2 SHOTS) GV PAN & SV Army base camp in bush. (3 SHOTS) GV Soldiers on back of truck. (3 SHOTS) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Three other Britons are being sought in Zimbabwe's eastern highlands. they have been missing since July 14. Reports of three bodies being found in the same area have been confirmed. Two were identified as Richard Prenkerd, 31, and his sister, Nicola. Their travelling companion was Alison Jones 23. JHS/JRS
  • Embargoed: 17th August 1982 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS, MATABELELAND, ZIMBABWE
  • Country: Zimbabwe
  • Topics: General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAE51N7ECILBV1NCAZLYPAACSVL
  • Story Text: In Zimbabwe, the security forces are continuing the search for six tourists kidnapped on July 23. The search, by some 1,500 troops, is concentrated on bush areas in Matabeleland, in the south western part of the country. The six tourist -- two Britons, two Americans and two Australians -- are being held by dissident, who have threatened to kill them unless a number of supporters of opposition leader Joshua Nkomo are released from detention. Mr. Nkomo has denied that his party has anything to do with the kidnappings, but the Prime Minister, Mr. Robert Mugave, has hinted that he may hold Mr. Nkomo responsible if the tourists are harmed. the troops have set up base camps near Bulawayo. They man roadblocks and are making sweeps on the bushland, supported by aircraft. Reports from the area say, however, that co-operation by villagers has been limited. The whole region has been shaken by unrest in recent months. Mr. Nkomo has a strong following in the area. Tension has spread to the cities. In Bulawayo, food shortages have added to the uncertainty. Throughout the city, bread was scare and long queues formed outside bakeries.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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