CONFIDENTIAL 23 OCT 1964 Trouble in Dhofar During the past two months there have been sporadic mining and shooting incidents in Dhofar province, in which an R.A.F. sergeant has been killed, three R.A.F. vehicles destroyed and an oil company camp attacked. The most recent Flag A (BC 1014/104) incident was on October 22. The incidents are the work of a small band of disaffected tribesmen, but the Dhofar Force (which because of the Sultan's insistence on running the affairs of Dhofar separately from those of the rest of the Sultanate, has no connexion with the British-officered Sultan's Armed Forces) seems incapable of effective action against this band. Flag B (BC 1016/97) Consequently, the Sultan has authorised contingency planning for the despatch to Dhofar of a company group of the S.A.F. to help track down the rebel tribesmen. Because of the distance involved (some 500 miles) it would not be practicable to send the company overland; and since the Sultan of Oman's Air Force has virtually no transport capacity, the move would have to be made by R.A.F. aircraft. Flag C To transport the whole company with its equipment would (BC 1016/101) require 13 Beverley sorties, beyond the available local capacity of the R.A.F.; it has therefore been planned that, if the plan is put into effect, the heavy vehicles should travel overland, while the men and light vehicles would be flown down in 3 Beverley sorties. The R.A.F. Commander in the Gulf has agreed that this is operationally feasible. The Military Commanders Committee (Persian Gulf) have recommended that the Ministry of Defence's agreement in Flag D principle should be sought how to meet the Sultan's request, (BC 1016/ 1 (C) if and when it is made. CONFIDENTIAL
