British soldiers come under gun attack in Portadown

British soldiers and RUC officers were fired on and attacked with blast-bombs as the wave of violence by loyalists in the North…

British soldiers and RUC officers were fired on and attacked with blast-bombs as the wave of violence by loyalists in the North entered its fifth day.

Although the level of violence and disorder was lower than earlier in the week, there were several serious incidents on Wednesday night and early yesterday.

A British army patrol came under gun and blast-bomb attack in the Corcrain area of Portadown, Co Armagh. One bullet struck a Land Rover but there were no injuries.

Police and British soldiers protecting firefighters came under gun and blast-bomb attack. Six men were arrested and several items seized.

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In Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, police assisting an intimidated family from their home in the Bessfield Drive area came under attack. No-one was injured.

A group of loyalists attempted to hijack a police car on the Milltown Road in Belvoir, on the outskirts of south Belfast. A man was arrested and an imitation firearm recovered.

Riot police and British soldiers had to help some 100 civil servants to get into work yesterday. A group of loyalist protesters gathered on Massey Avenue, near Stormont Castle, blocking the entry of staff from the Department of Economic Development.

Twelve masked youths carried out a petrol and paint-bomb attack on the home of a Catholic family in Randalstown, Co Antrim.

Police seized bottles of concentrated nitric acid in the Glarryford area of Ballymena, Co Antrim, which it is believed were to be used against the security forces.

Police discovered a pipe-bomb factory on the Shore Road, north Belfast.

York Road RUC station in north Belfast was petrol-bombed after three men were arrested for possessing petrol-bombs. There was an attempted arson attack on Hydepark Orange Hall in Belfast.

Loyalists staged protests on dozens of roads across the North last night, with Belfast and counties Antrim and Down being particularly badly hit. The port at Larne was blockaded on Wednesday night.