
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, February 25, 1994                   TAG: 9402250071
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: ADEN, YEMEN                                LENGTH: Short

FIGHTING REPORTED TO BE SPREADING IN YEMEN

Fighting between northern and southern Yemeni soldiers reportedly spread Thursday, pushing the Arab world's youngest republic further toward civil war.

Foreign oil executives said both sides were trying to gain control of the Shabwa oil fields and other areas along the former border that divided conservative North Yemen and socialist South Yemen. The two countries united four years ago.

An Arabic radio station in France said fighting also had spread to the north for the first time.

Exact casualty figures were difficult to come by. Both followers of President Ali Abdullah Saleh in the north and Vice President Ali Salem al-Beidh in the south have been distributing propaganda.

Both sides have reported at least 15 soldiers killed. The Saudi Arabian newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported more than 700 dead and injured. None of the reports could be confirmed independently.

- Associated Press

by CNB