GERMAN FORCES IN BALKANS

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24053, 15 September 1943, Page 5

GERMAN FORCES IN BALKANS

RESISTANCE SAID TO BE GROWING LONDON, Sept. 13. “While the position inside Italy is apparently chaotic, in spite of German claims that there is a revival of Fascism and that Italian soldiers are rallying to the Germans, the situation in the occupied Balkan countries is rapidly reaching the point of explosion into a general uprising,” says the Cairo correspondent of “The Times.” “The Italians in many areas of Jugoslavia and Greece have laid down their arms and either moved off in an attempt to reach Italy or openly sided with the partisans. The Germans have left some of the internal mountainous regions and are moving towards the coast, presumably fearing Allied landings. The partisan forces, consequently, are enjoying much greater freedom of movement. For instance, partisans at Banjaluka, in Bosnia, have repaired a railway which they repeatedly broke up when the Axis forces were using it. and are now moving their forces by rail. • . _ , “Partisans in some sectors of Dalmatia control not only the interior, but some of the coastal regions, including a number of islands, and they have a fleet of small ships for raiding purposes. Some Italian , units «re definitely fighting with the partisans at the important railway junction at jKarlovac.” •Reuter’s correspondent in Zurich says that reports from Belgrade say that fierce fighting occurred there when the Germans tried to disarm Italian troops. The population acclaimed the Italians and went to their aid. The Germans at Zagreb disarmed all the Italians when the news of the capitulation was known and they are reported to have manhandled Italians when they occupied the Italian Legation and I the Stefani News Agency offices. I Reuter’s correspondent in Cairo says that senior Allied officers are

now at General Mikhailovic’s headquarters. “Reports indicate,” says Reuters correspondent, “that large-scale military activity can be expected shortly, linked with Allied strategic plans. German troops from Trieste to Montenegro are moving from the interior towards the coast of Jugoslavia. .Patriots are challenging this advance at nearly every point. Italian troops are also resisting the Germans at many places. German aeroplanes had to bomb an Italian garrison from a town in the Dalmatian interior before German troops and Quisling Serbian formations could march in. General Mikhailovic’s forces recently ambushed two enemy trains, blew up bridges, and killed 300 Germans.”

Violent fighting is reported to be occurring between German and Italian troops at Rhodes, in the Dodecanese. The Ankara radio says that 350 Italian refugees have arrived in Turkey from Rhodes in small boats. The refugees fired on German aeroplanes which attacked them. They have all been interned.

Sydney Meat Strike Ends,—The Sydney meat strike ended to-day after 10 days, when workers at the Homebush abattoirs accepted the conditions laid down by Mr Curtin for resumption of work. It is not expected that supplies will be normal until early next week, —Sydney, September 14.