E Pakistan-Tripura border, July 20
A new phase has begun in the armed struggle for East Pakistan's independence. After spending a few days with Bangla Desh liberation forces (Mukti Fauj), I cannot see the Pakistan Army finding it easy to cope with them.

The last set battle between the Army and the resistance forces ended exactly a month ago. Two companies of Mukti Fauj were then beaten back by a vastly larger and better-equipped Pakistan force from an important petition near Bilonia, on the southwestern border of Tripura Union Territory with East Bengal

Although the Army used artillery, had air cover and had moved up tanks, the liberation forces, which had no heavier equipment than a few mortars, held the position for four weeks and inflicted heavy casualties on Wert Pakistan troops.

Nevertheless, although by all accounts Mukti Fauj did remarkably well, it has changed its tactics since the battle of Bilonia with increasing emphasis on commando action, widely dispersed guerrilla activity and carefully planned sabotage. I have been given details of a large number of commando raids, with wholly convincing evidence to support the claims made.

I have spoken with groups which have carried out some of the sabotage operations already reported by foreign correspondent from Dacca. And I have talked to young men trained as guerrillas and now waiting for arms to begin operating from within the ordinary civilian population.

Much of the commando action has been in the eastern sector of East Bengal, adjoining Tripura. In that section the Pakistan Army is mounting increasing pressure to regain control of the railway and road link between Chittagong and Dacca which is still broken along the western border of Tripura. Although important railway stations like Akhaura and Feni are in the hands of the Pakistan Army, the rebels control a vital stretch between these two points. As a result supplies from Chittagong port have still to be sent first to Chandpur and then by river to Dacca and other centres.

Rebel positions in the Saldanadi area, north-east of Comilia town, are almost constantly under Pakistan artillery and mortar fire, I had taste of it when I visited the disrupted railway line near the deserted Mandabhag station.

By previous arrangement I met Major Khaled Mosharraf. commander of the Bangla Desh liberation forces in the eastern sector, and some of his officers and men on the railway embankment near Mandabhag. It seems that we were spotted from the nearest Pakistan Army observation post, presumably less than two miles away.

We crossed the embankment and walked through deserted villages to inspect some liberation army bunkers and heard the first sound of mortar fire when we had approached a large expanse of paddy and jute fields, within two minutes we could hear another shell being fired and it took perhaps 30 to 40 seconds to burst less than 50 yards from us.

We dispersed and moved back towards the embankment A heavy artillery shell burst only about 30 yards from where I was lying down.

The shelling continued as we waded through waterlogged paddy fields and muddy jungle towards the Indian border. The Mukti Fauj escorts dispersed only when we reached a relatively safe point. But it was not completely safe on Indian territory, as the shelling followed us across the border.

We were told that this was not unusual. Last Thursday seven villagers well inside Indian territory were injured by shelling. Asked why the Indian Army had not returned the fire, an Indian official said that Pakistan could afford the risks of Indian fire as the villages on its side of the border were all deserted.