1.

LV & CU armed guards checking cars on main road to Irbid (3 shots)

0.35



2.

GV Irbid city

0.40



3.

SV PAN..Armed men pass through streets

0.50



4.

SV & CU Militia men in vehicle (2 shots)

1.03



5.

SV & CU Armed guards mingling with people (4 shots)

1.26



6.

CU Militiaman distributes pamphlets

1.41



7.

CU Armed militia woman

1.47



8.

SCU Militia men surrounded by children in street (2 shots)

1.58



9.

CU EXTERIOR..Governor's office

2.00



10.

SV & CU Governor speaks

2.46



11.

SV PAN..Militiamen mingle with children in street

3.00





ARMED AL-FATAH GUARDS: IRBID CITY: MILITIAMEN IN TRUCK: MILITIA: GOVERNOR'S OFFICE: GOVERNOR SPEAKING: MILITIAMEN.







"Er, exactly, first of all, I say to you all welcome and thank you. And about the situation -- now it is very good. Here in Irbid area and Irbid district and all the departments are going (on) with their work and offering the services for the people, and if you can go on the roads within this district and you see that everything now is usual and the situation is growing better and better."









Initials MF/MR/PS/1715 MF/MR/ES/1749







Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved



Background: Following large-scale clashes between commandos and government troops, commandos and militiamen are now in complete control of Irbid, a city of 150,000 lying 50 miles north of Amman and near the Syrian border. The Governor of Irbid, Ahmad Hindawi, returned to the city after several days in a police camp where he had been staying for protection. He said the city is functioning normally.



The guerrilla-controlled city of Irbid is a haven of quiet in a country now torn down the middle by violent clashes between the new military government and the guerrillas.



The leader of the militia said in an interview yesterday (16 Sept.) that the aims of his organisation were to inspire the masses to rise against the imperialists. The masses are now armed. he said, and such a revolution would mean a new Vietnam. They had defeated the reactionary forces in battle three days previously and Irbid was now " a liberated area ". There are no longer any government troops in the city, he said.



The army and police camps outside Irbid remain quiet as they wait for orders from the new military Governor of Irbid, who was appointed as soon as the military government of Jordan was announced. He is Brigadier Ibrahim Ayoub, an officer known for his opposition to the guerrillas.



Although the north of Jordan is fairly quiet, the rest of the country is engulfed in violent battles centred on Amman. Both sides claimed immediate successes in conflicting versions of the struggle, but observers believe the numerically stronger and better armed royalist army had the upper hand in the initial stages.



As Jordan Army tanks swept into Amman, Syria came out on the guerrilla's side, appealed to royalist troops to mutiny and warned that it would not stand idly by while the fedayeen were crushed.



Soon afterwards the guerrillas broadcast an appeal for the 12,000 Iraqi troops based in Jordan to enter the battle at once on their side. There was no immediate response from Baghdad, which has issued verbal expressions of support for the guerrillas.



Field Marshall Majali clamped immediate curfews on Amman and Zarka and said that people who broke it would be shot on sight. A commando inspired general strike is an added factor in the chaos in Amman.



Ranged against each other in the trial of strength are the 55,000 men of King Hussein and on the opposing side commando chief Yasser Arafat, with a less well-armed force of between 20,000 & 30,000 full-time commandos and possibly as many again of part-time militia.



SYNOPSIS: Al-Fatan guerrillas check all cars on the main road into Irbid, in North Jordan. Following large-scale fighting between commandos and government troops before the new military government was appointed, commandos and militiamen are now in complete control of Irbid, a city of 150,000 lying 50 miles north of Amman and near the Syrian border. Although the rest of the country is engulfed in violent battle, centring on Jordan, the north of Jordan is fairly quiet.



The commando-controlled city of Irbid is now a haven in a country torn down the middle by violent clashes between the new military government and the guerrillas.



The army and police camps outside Irbid now await their orders from the new military governor of Irbid, who was appointed as soon as the military government of Jordan was announced. He is Brigadier Ibrahim Ayoub, an officer known for his opposition to the guerrillas As Jordan army tanks swept into Amman, Syria came out on the side of the guerrillas, appealed to royalist troops to mutiny and warned that it would no stand idly by while the fedayeen were crouched. Soon afterwards the guerrillas broadcast an appeal for the 12,000 Iraqi troops based in Jordan to enter the battle at once on their side. There was no immediate response from Baghdad, which has issued verbal expressions of support for the guerrillas.



As militiamen took it easy, the Governor of Irbid, Ahmad Hindawi, returned to his office after several days in a police camp where he had been staying for protection.



A leader of the militia said in an interview on Wednesday that the aim of his organisation was to inspire the masses to rise against the imperialists. Irbid was now, he said, a liberated area.