An Israeli soldier was killed by an Egyptian sniper along the Suez Canal yesterday. Israeli units killed six Arab saboteurs is separate encounters last night and this morning in the Jordan Valley and the Gaza Strip.
The latest casualty in the canal zone was Pvt. Sayid Franco. He was killed near the spot where Second Lt. Herman Mordecai lost his life yesterday when explosives planted by Egyptian commandos damaged a water pipeline. A military spokesman said the Egyptians were trying to knock out the fresh water pipelines supplying Israeli troops on the canal’s east bank. The damaged pipe has been repaired. A recent Israeli air raid damaged a fresh water pipeline linking the Nile with Port Said and the Egyptians have since made two retaliatory attempts against the Israeli water supply, the spokesman said.
He reported that three saboteurs were killed and 12 captured in a dawn skirmish with Israeli police near a Gaza refugee camp. One of the dead saboteurs was wanted for the murder three weeks ago of Shimon Levi, an employee of the Israel Public Works Department. Mr. Levi was found shot to death in his car near a road construction site. Two of the captured saboteurs were wounded.
Three other saboteurs were killed last night in a clash with an Israeli patrol along the Jordan River near Mandassah bridge. One Israeli soldier was slightly wounded in the exchange of fire while the saboteurs were attempting to cross the river.
Several bazooka shells were fired this morning at an Israeli patrol south of Quneitra in the Golan Heights. Another patrol came under bazooka fire in the northern Golan Heights. Fire was returned in both instances and no casualties were sustained by the Israelis. A number of Katyusha rocket shells were fired this morning at Nahal Sinai settlement and at the El Arish airstrip. No casualties or damage was reported. An explosive charge went off near the military governor’s house in Bethlehem last night without causing damage or casualties. It was the second explosion in Bethlehem in two days.
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