What's Left Of Aden

Britain captured the town of Aden in the south of the Arabian Peninsula. Like the later seizure of Cyprus and of Egypt, the occupation of Aden was a strategic rather than commercial undertaking, guarding the lines of communication with India. With British Somaliland on the ‘horn of Africa’, Aden provided control of the entrance to the Red Sea. In order to stabilise the region, which had been dogged by years of unrest fuelled by Arab nationalism and anti-colonialism. Having replaced Cyprus as the base of Middle East Land Forces, Aden was of even greater strategic importance to Britain, maintaining with Far East Land Forces in Singapore its global presence. British government announced that a permanent British garrison would be maintained in Aden. Yet they were forced to withdraw from the colony.

Throughout the years, the new Federation faced grave threats. Internally the rival sought to expel Britain from what they called South Yemen. Externally the republican government of Yemen, which overthrew the royalist regime in the coup, provided the rebels with sanctuaries and support from Egypt and the Soviet Union. Aden was marked by a series of bombings, shootings and grenade attacks on the civil administration, military personnel and civilians.

British retribution for attacks was swift, harsh and often indiscriminate, causing resentment in the local community and providing recruits for the insurgents. Lacking intelligence about their foes, British forces resorted to stop and search operations and regular patrols of Aden, initially on foot but later in armoured cars, to identify the rebels and their supporters.

Aden was defended by the locally raised Federal Regular Army and Federal National Guard, which were later merged into a single force, the South Arabian Army. These forces were increasingly distrusted by the British, owing to heavy infiltration by the insurgents.

Britain realised that its presence in Aden would end sooner rather than later. Britain announced that the Aden bases would not be retained after independence was gained. British forces had lost control and, though British troops re-occupied the Crater, the insurgents intensified their attacks. The Federal government collapsed and was replaced by a Marxist regime. Following negotiations with nationalist groups over Britain's withdrawal, the last British troops left Aden for good.

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