1971-04-12
Page: 6
NEW DELHI, April 11—Indian Government sources say West Pakistani soldiers, aided by artillery and air strikes, launched a series of attacks over the weekend against outlying towns and villages occupied by East Pakistani resistance forces.
These sources reported that Pakistani jets bombed and strafed areas In or near the towns of Jessore, Bogra, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sylhet and Comilla, all in districts adjacent to the Indian border.
Convoys of West Pakistani troop trucks, led by tanks, reportedly moved out of major garrisons, including Jessore and Dacca, on Saturday, headed for towns that the East Pakistanis say they control. The East Pakistanis were reported to have ambushed three army convoys on roads leading to Rangpur, in the northern tip of East Pakistan.
The resistance forces also said they shot down one Pakistani bomber and hit another near Feni in the southeast.
Tonight, heavy fighting and heavy casualties were reported in villages where resistance forces set up ambushes to meet incoming convoys.
Meanwhile, resistance forces were reported to have driven 5,000 West Pakistani troops out of their garrison at Comilla after four days of fighting.