Guern, however, avoided any direct military clashes, he and his men going into hiding, then gathering together to strike at remote outposts.

Do not," Connavar urged him, "seek a direct clash with Jasaray.

Even the enormous American intervention in Vietnam took great care to avoid a direct clash with Russia and China.

While his remarks sent shock waves through Brazil, they do not mean there will be a direct clash between military and civilians.

Moreover, it was the only way to avoid another direct clash in unfavorable conditions with the Royalist forces coming down from Quito.

There were direct clashes between the army and protesters in Deraa, where a number of soldiers have been killed in rebel ambushes this week.

"I take it there have been direct clashes, army to army?"

The communists, in turn, decided to avoid direct clash with main nationalist force but instead, attack the weaker ones by outflanking the nationalists.

It was rarely that he felt such a direct clash between his twin roles as actor and detective.

Thus, direct clashes with Libyan soldiers seemed unlikely.