A comparison of the recent experimental results on yields of s, g and b-particles (fast and slow hadrons) emitted in the forward (<90°) and backward (90°) hemispheres resulting from the interactions of ⁶Li (3.7 A GeV) with emulsion nuclei is made with two theoretical models: a typical intranuclear cascade model and a modified FRITIOF model. The latter consists of two main ingredients: (i) the distribution of the nucleons knocked out by hard collisions based on a classical Glauber approach and (ii) the description of the secondary interactions by a soft process which amounts to a cascade on the plane of impact parameter. Particles taking part in the hard processes become excited strings as in the original FRITIOF model. From such comparison it is found that, while the cascade model applies well in the region of limited cascading (backward hemispheres), it becomes less applicable in the forward hemisphere (where cascading becomes more branched). The modified FRITIOF model, on the other hand, could reproduce the experimental observations in both hemispheres.