Arab Police mutiny facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arab Police mutiny
Part of Aden Emergency
Date 19-20 June 1967 Location Aden, Aden Protectorate Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	NLF FLOSY
Commanders and leaders
Maj. David Miller	Unknown
Units involved
King's Own Royal Border Regiment Queen's Dragoon Guards Royal Corps of Transport	South Arabian Army Aden Armed Police
Strength
unknown	500 (est.)
Casualties and losses
24 killed 1 helicopter destroyed	unknown

The Arab Police mutiny was a short but important event during the Aden Emergency. This was a time when Arab soldiers and police rebelled against British troops in Aden. Even though the rebellion was quickly stopped, it showed that the South Arabian Federation was not strong. This Federation was a group of states that Britain had set up to take over after its direct rule ended.

Why the Mutiny Happened

Aden's Changing Status

In 1962, Aden, which was a British Crown Colony (a territory directly ruled by Britain), started to govern itself more. The next year, it became part of the Federation of South Arabia. This Federation included Aden and other nearby areas.

Local Forces and Tensions

Besides British soldiers, there were local troops in Aden. These troops were led by both British and Arab officers. On June 1, 1967, these local units joined together to form the South Arabian Army (SAA). The Aden Armed Police, a police force, had been keeping order in Aden since 1931.

By 1967, things were very tense between the British and the Arab people in Aden. This was especially true after the Six-Day War in the Middle East. Britain was planning to leave Aden soon. Because of this, the local soldiers and police, who were organized by the British, started to feel worried about their future. Their loyalty to the Federation and their British officers became uncertain. Two main Arab nationalist groups, the National Liberation Front (NLF) and the Front for the Liberation of South Yemen (FLOSY), were also trying to gain power among the people.

The Mutiny Begins

Soldiers Rebel

On the morning of June 20, 1967, Arab soldiers from the South Arabian Army started to rebel. They set fire to their barracks (their living quarters). Then, they attacked a truck carrying British soldiers from the Royal Corps of Transport, killing eight of them. The rebelling SAA soldiers then attacked Radfan Camp, where they killed a British officer, two policemen, and a government worker.

Police Join In

British troops from the King's Own Royal Border Regiment and the Queen's Dragoon Guards quickly stopped the SAA rebellion. They rescued officers who were trapped in the camp. However, the unrest spread to the Aden Armed Police. They took control of their barracks in the Crater District of Aden. From their windows, they fired at a British patrol, killing all but one young soldier. This soldier, Fusilier John Storey, managed to escape and hid in a nearby apartment building until help arrived.

Crater District Taken Over

After this, the Aden Armed Police, along with armed nationalist fighters, took over the Crater District. By the end of the day, 24 people had been killed, including 17 British soldiers, in various clashes.

After the Mutiny

Taking Back Crater District

On July 3, 1967, a new British unit, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, arrived. They took back control of the Crater District with very few losses. They stayed in control for the next five months until Britain finally left Aden.

New Government

On November 7, the South Arabian Army, which was now called the Arab Armed Forces of Occupied South Yemen, joined forces with the National Liberation Front (NLF). They fought a short civil war against the FLOSY group. After the NLF won, the former SAA and Aden Armed Police became the regular army of the newly independent People's Democratic Republic of Yemen.

Why the Mutiny Was Important

The mutiny itself was small and quickly contained. However, its main importance was that it clearly showed how weak the South Arabian Federation was. This Federation was meant to be a stable government after Britain left. But it could not survive without the support of British forces.