Military operations in Oman

This file relates to Oman and the Dhofar conflict. It contains correspondence on:

• Operational details, incoming artillery logs, and reports of military actions and movements, relating to UK, Omani, and Iranian forces
• The possible public relations value of capturing regular troops of the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY); and the doubts expressed by the Foreign Secretary James Callaghan
• The visit to Oman of Conservative MP Julian Amery
• Concerns expressed by the Ministry of Defence over the uncoordinated release of information by Oman, Iran and the UK
• The build-up to and commencement of the post-monsoon offensive
• An Oman Intelligence Service map illustrating estimated enemy strength in specified locations
• The shooting down of an RAF Strikemaster BAC167 aircraft, in the Qitan area on 19 August 1973
• The shooting down of a Sultan of Oman's Air Force (SOAF) Strikemaster in the Defa area
• The crash of an aircraft in enemy territory, with Flight Lieutenant J O Heathcote and other crewmen R Boyce and Mohammad Jabir Saloom presumed killed
• The use of SAM-7 missiles by the enemy against aircraft
• The various claims of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman (PFLO) to have shot down aircraft
• A request from the British trade promotion body the Middle East Association for information on aircraft losses
• The request made by Oman for the RAF to shuttle Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF) personnel to Manston
• Intensified bombing of Simba (Sarfayt) from the PDRY; a retaliatory artillery and SOAF attack on Hauf [Hawf] from 17 October 1975; the continuance of artillery attacks from Hawf
• A comment by Mr Callaghan on the lack of warning given to HMG by Oman concerning its cross-border strike
• A RAF survey flight over Sarfayt
• Reconnaissance of Al Mukalla and Riyan Airfield in PDRY, by a Canberra aircraft, in 'Operation Exhibit'
• A build-up of troops and vehicle-towed weapons in Jaadhib [Jadib] and Hawf areas of the PDRY
• Refugees moved on to the SAF at Rakhyut
• The possibility that PDRY might reinforce their irregular troop deployment
• Establishment of an Omani position named Gougoush
• Iranian operations in Dhofar; including westwards from Rakhyut and the Damavand Line towards the enemy supply base in the Shirshitti Caves
• An operation mounted from Sarfayt by the SAF, taking control of territory southward to the coast, and disrupting PFLO supply lines
• The suggestion of making clear to the PDRY Ambassador in London the hopelessness of the military situation in Oman, possibly with the help of President Anwar Al Sadat of Egypt
• Casualty reports, including of British personnel in the SAS and the British Army Training Team; PFLO communiques claiming to have inflicted casualties, including in the Zakhar Highlands, near Sarfayt, and during the Omani attack on Hawf
• The monitored texts of press reports: including broadcasts with dateline from Aden, and of the Aden Voice of Oman Revolution; regional reaction, including on Iranian, Egyptian and Algerian home service reports; Moscow Radio in Arabic; all published in the Summary of World Broadcasts
• British press coverage, including letters in the Guardian from D L Price of the Royal Commonwealth Society, and from Ahmad Saleem Aka’ak of Salalah