Aden Emergency facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Aden Emergency |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Cold War, the Arab Cold War, and the Decolonization of Asia | |||||||
 The location of the Aden Protectorate |
|||||||
|
|||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Kingdom |
 NLF FLOSYSupported by:  United Arab Republic North Yemen Soviet Union |
||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Harold Wilson Michael Le Fanu Michael Beetham Colin Campbell Mitchell |
Qahtan al-Shaabi Abdullah al-Asnag Gamal Abdel Nasser Abdullah al-Sallal Nikita Khrushchev Leonid Brezhnev |
||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 30,000 at peak (3,500 in November 1967)  15,000 federal troops |
Unknown |
||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| British Army: 90–92 killed 510 wounded Federal Regular Army: 17 killed 58 wounded |
382 killed 1,714 wounded |
||||||
| Total: 2,096 casualties | |||||||
The Aden Emergency was a serious conflict in a place called Aden. Aden is located in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula. This conflict is also known as the Radfan Uprising. It happened between 1963 and 1967.
During this time, two main groups, the National Liberation Front (South Yemen) (NLF) and the Front for the Liberation of Occupied South Yemen (FLOSY), fought against the United Kingdom. Aden was a British territory back then. The fighting eventually led to Aden becoming an independent country. It was named the People's Republic of South Yemen.
The conflict began on October 14, 1963. Someone threw a grenade at a meeting of British officials at Aden Airport. This attack caused a state of emergency to be declared. The emergency grew worse in 1967. It sped up the end of British rule in Aden, which had started way back in 1839.
Contents
Why the Conflict Started
Aden was important to Britain for a long time. It was first used as a base to stop piracy on trade routes to British India. When the Suez Canal opened in 1869, Aden became even more important. It was a place where ships could stop to refuel with coal. Britain had made many agreements with local leaders to keep control of the area. After India became independent in 1947, Aden became less vital for the United Kingdom.
Growing Tensions in the Region
The Aden Emergency was largely caused by a wave of Arab nationalism spreading across the Arabian Peninsula. This idea was promoted by the Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser. He believed in uniting Arab nations. In 1956, British, French, and Israeli forces had invaded Egypt. This happened after Nasser took control of the Suez Canal. But they were forced to leave after the United States and the Soviet Union got involved.
Nasser's idea of uniting Arab nations didn't always work out. For example, his attempt to join Egypt and Syria as the United Arab Republic failed after three years. However, the uprising in Aden in 1963 seemed like another chance for his ideas to spread. It's not fully clear if Nasser directly caused the revolt. It's more likely that Yemeni groups were inspired by his ideas and acted on their own.
The Emergency Unfolds
By 1963, different groups fighting against British rule started to join together. They formed two main rival organizations. One was the National Liberation Front (NLF), which had support from Egypt. The other was the Front for the Liberation of Occupied South Yemen (FLOSY). These groups not only attacked the British but also fought against each other.
First Attacks and Growing Violence
The fighting began on December 14, 1963. The NLF launched a grenade attack on the British High Commissioner of Aden, Sir Kennedy Trevaskis. This happened when he arrived at Khormaksar Airport. The attack killed his adviser and another person. It also injured many others. On that day, a state of emergency was officially declared in Aden.
The NLF and FLOSY started a campaign against British forces. They often used grenade attacks. One sad attack happened at RAF Khormaksar during a children's party. A young girl was killed, and four children were hurt.
The attacks often targeted British officers and police who were not on duty. Much of the violence took place in Crater, an old part of Aden. British forces tried to stop weapons from being smuggled into Crater. But they didn't have much success. Even though British forces suffered, many more rebels died. This was often due to fighting between the different rebel groups themselves.
In 1964, the British 24th Infantry Brigade arrived to help. They stayed in Aden until November 1967. The RAF Khormaksar air base had nine squadrons of aircraft by 1965. These included transport planes, helicopters, and Hawker Hunter fighter jets. The army would call on these jets to attack rebel positions. They used powerful rockets and cannons.
Street Protests and Clashes
On January 19–20, 1967, the NLF caused street riots in Aden. The local police lost control. So, British High Commissioner Sir Richard Turnbull sent British troops to stop the riots. After the NLF riots were stopped, pro-FLOSY rioters took to the streets. Fighting between British forces and rioters continued into February. British forces fired their weapons many times. During this period, there were also many grenade and shooting attacks against British forces. An Aden Airways Douglas DC-3 plane was bombed in mid-air, and everyone on board died.
Local Forces Join the Fight
The conflict got even worse after the Six-Day War in June 1967. Nasser claimed that Britain had helped Israel in that war. This led to a mutiny by hundreds of soldiers in the South Arabian Federation Army on June 20. The mutiny also spread to the Aden Armed Police. The mutineers killed 22 British soldiers. They also shot down a helicopter. As a result, the Crater area was taken over by rebel forces.
People became very worried about the safety of British families. Plans to evacuate families were quickly put into action.
The Battle for Crater
After the mutiny, all British forces left Crater. Royal Marines from 45 Commando took positions on high ground. They shot and killed 10 armed Arab fighters. However, Crater remained under the control of about 400 Arab fighters. NLF and FLOSY fighters then started fighting each other in the streets. There was also burning, stealing, and killing. British forces blocked the two main entrances to Crater. They were shot at by snipers from a fort on Sira island. But the snipers were silenced by a shell from an armored car. Order was brought back in July 1967. The 1st Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders entered Crater. They were led by Lt. Col. Colin Campbell Mitchell. They managed to take control of the whole area overnight without any losses.
Britain's Withdrawal
Despite this, the NLF continued their attacks on British forces. This caused the British to leave Aden by the end of November 1967. This was earlier than planned by British Prime Minister Harold Wilson. They left without an agreement on who would govern next. After the British left, the NLF took power. They then created the People's Republic of South Yemen.
What Happened Next?
Between 1963 and 1967, about 90 to 92 British soldiers were killed. Around 510 were wounded. Seventeen British civilians also died. Local government forces lost 17 killed and 58 wounded. Among the rebel forces, 382 were killed and 1,714 were wounded.
Images for kids
-
Saladin Armoured Cars of the Queens Dragoon Guards in Aden 1967
-
British street patrol in Aden 1967
-
Building a culvert on the Dhala Road by Territorial Army Parachute Engineers in April 1965.
See also
- List of modern conflicts in the Middle East
