4 Die in Fiery South Africa Raid on Botswana Home

GABORONE, Botswana — The South African army today raided a house on the outskirts of the capital, killing four residents who were burned beyond recognition after an hourlong gun battle.

South Africa, which claims that neighboring Botswana harbors guerrillas hostile to Pretoria, called the victims terrorists. It admitted responsibility for the attack in a statement issued by its Defense Force in Pretoria.

The office of President Quett Masire of Botswana said four people died--a South African man, two Botswana women and a third unidentified woman. The Botswana Press Assn. quoted Deputy Police Commissioner Norman Moleboge as saying residents reported that all the occupants of the house were Botswanan.

The president’s statement said all were sleeping when the South Africans attacked in the township of Phiring, two miles from the center of the capital of Gaborone, a border city.

Pretoria has issued several threats against Botswana in recent months, accusing it of harboring African National Congress guerrillas bent on ending white domination in South Africa.

The Botswana government said it supports the ANC’s goals and allows its representatives in the country. But Botswana said it does not let the group launch attacks into South Africa from Botswana.

The South African military statement said today’s raid was a follow-up to a shoot-out near the South Africa-Botswana border on Friday. In that attack, the military said soldiers killed three suspected terrorists in a running battle near a farm and captured rifles, machine pistols and hand grenades.

The operation had not previously been reported.