- Title: ZIMBABWE: INKOMO ARMY CAMP DEVASTATED BY EXPLOSIONS.
- Date: 21st August 1981
- Summary: SV PULL BACK TO GV Railway siding near armoury. SV PAN Damaged siding. GV PULL BACK Nyabira Country Club. SV PAN DOWN CU Spent shells near club, SV PAN DOWN Damaged club, SV PAN EXTERIOR Damaged club. SV Shattered roof. (1.02) JS
- Embargoed: 5th September 1981 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: INKOMO BARRACKS, ZIMBABWE
- City:
- Country: Zimbabwe
- Topics: Conflict,General
- Reuters ID: LVAAZS9V9E5SXRJHKRTLQYO9Y76M
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: INTRODUCTION: A series of explosions ripped through the Inkomo Army Camp near Salisbury, Zimbabwe, on Sunday (16 August). The explosions destroyed tonnes of arms and ammunition. No casualty figures were released but informed sources said they were thought to be slight. the blasts were said to have been caused by an accidental gas explosion.
SYNOPSIS: Newsmen were banned from the ares by the authorities following the explosion. Even so, this railway siding about one kilometre away form the barracks was completely devastated.
Bushfires burned around the barracks, which are used as a store for arms and ammunition handed in by guerrilla armies after their seven-year war against the former Rhodesian regime. Spent shells and shrapnel litter the area.
This is the Inyabira Sports Club some 1.5 kilometres away from the main armoury. it suffered extensive damage. Army engineers detonated shells, rockets and other explosive left behind. Several munitions stores were said to have exploded one by one. People approaching the area had to shelter as debris including Russian-made rocket launchers and Chinese mortars rained down on them. The original explosions shook houses in Salisbury 30 kilometres (20 miles) away. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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