European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 24, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The Sra amp  amp Hopes 1942-199250 years of service vol. 51, no. 251 35c thursday december 24,1992 b d 8693 Amine kills army employee injures three in Somalia aps amps Mogadishu Somalia a an american Mission to save lives in Somalia lost the first of its own wednesday when a . Vehicle hit a land mine near the Interior town of Barbera killing an army civilian employee. Three other american civilians Alt slate department Security officers were injured. The four were on an Advance Mission a Day before a planned push by .-led forces into the famine stricken town Marine spokesman col. Fred Peck said in Mogadishu. Troops will go to Barbera As planned Peck said but he indicated they would take a different Road and would be preceded by mine sweeping equipment. The four americans a were travelling in an area where it was assumed All known mines were marked a he said. Peck refused to be More specific about the civilians jobs or Why state department Security people were needed in Barbera. . Troops Are in Somalia to protect food Relief shipments from bands of armed looters and clan fighters. Fighting famine and disease already have killed an estimated 350,000 see related stories on Page 9 somalis in the past two years. Mines Are another facet of the danger facing foreign troops because of the clan warfare which has raged since dictator Mohammed Siad Barre was overthrown nearly two years ago. Barrels son in Law Mohamed said Hirsi known As Gen. Morgan controls Barbera and has sown the roads around the town with anti tank mines. Vehicles usually pass through the mined area by following trails marked by residents Peck said. Officials said the army employee who was not identified was killed instantly when the Una Mored state department vehicle hit the mine about 9 30 . And flipped on its top. The incident occurred about a mile out of Barbera. The blast was heard a few Miles away and brought people running from town. The wounded were taken to a Hospital on the amphibious assault ship Tripoli off Mogadishu Peck said. One was reported in critical but stable condition and the other two were in serious condition. The civilians had been travelling from Bairoa about 120 Miles to the Northeast Peck said. The blast occurred on a Side Road Between Barbera s Airport and the main Highway to Bairoa he said. A a we re not operating in a War zone Neces see mine on Page 2relief official says Bush visit will lift spirits Washington a president Bush a new years eve journey to Somalia will be a a real morale boosters for everyone struggling to end starvation there an american Relief official says. Bush will spend dec. 31 with . Troops in the stricken East african land and will visit Relief operations there on new years Day White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater announced tuesday. It will be Bush a 25th and perhaps last foreign journey of his presidency and just his second trip to Africa As president. He travelled to Egypt in 1990. In All Bush has visited 36 countries on previous trips. White House officials said Bush will bring a much smaller staff than usually accompanies him abroad and the president has instructed aides that he wants to avoid disrupting the humanitarian Effort. Fitzwater said the first . Casualties of the operation would not affect the decision to go. A we regret the loss of life a he said. A operation restore Hope will continue As planned and we done to expect it will have any effect on the presidents  Bush was briefed on the land mine incident by his National Security adviser Brent scowcroft. The president left wednesday for a Long Holiday see Bush on Page 2 a joint Salute to the seasons amps John Bohmer Christmas greetings took on a communal look As six fam Day message. The families lit up their building 65 with an Ilies at Sembach a Germany joined to display a holi Angel a Christmas tree and a Joy to the  of Aviano Alert not True Al com says from wire and staff reports a spokesman for the top . Military command in Europe denied a report wednesday that Aviano a Italy has been placed on Alert to receive f-16 fighter jets in connection with nato plans to Clamp Down on rebel serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The report by the italian news Agency Ansa also said up to 3,000 . Soldiers were expected to arrive at Aviano a soon. A the Ansa report is not True a said cmdr. Ron Morse a spokesman for the . European come which has its Headquarters in Stuttgart Germany. A it has no basis in fact. There Are no planes no 3,000 soldiers a he said. It. Col. Mike Gannon an air Force spokesman in Washington said wednesday that he has been Fielding Calls All Day about the Ansa report. He said the report has a no basis in  a we have not ordered any subordinate commands to change the Alert posture of any units with regard to Bosnia Gannon said. A and we have not received any order to move personnel or aircraft to Aviano or anywhere else in Italy for any  contributing to his report stall a rotors Chuck Vinch in Washington. Rosemary Sawyer in Brussels and the associated press the magnetism of Jerusalem a see stripes Magazine