 Nevertheless, the "Guardia Civil" (Civil Guard) in Barcelona, led by General José Aranguren; the "Guardia de Asalto"; and the Catalan police, the "Mossos d'Esquadra", led by Captain Frederic Escofet, (around 5000 men) remained loyal to the government.Also remaining loyal was El Prat air base, commanded by Colonel Felipe Díaz Sandino, whose planes bombed the rebel troops.On 18 July news about a rising of the Army of Africa in the Spanish protectorate in Morocco reached Barcelona, but the president of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Lluís Companys, refused to give weapons to the workers and ordered anarchists carrying weapons to be detained.