FRANCE’S LITTLE WARS

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 79, 28 December 1925, Page 7

FRANCE’S LITTLE WARS

SUSPENSION OF SYRIAN HOSTILITIES RIFFIANS CRUMBLING RAPIDLY Paris, December 25. Unconfirmed Damascus dispatches state that the Foreign Office has signed an armistice with the Druses, suspending all Syrian hostilities. AL de Jouvenal (the French High Commissioner) admitted the negotiations, but said that lie believed the report of the singing was premature. A Beirut dispatch says that the general situation in Syria is improving, the Damascus region being more calm than it has been since the military post had been established in Lebanon, following a complete clearance of the bands of' insurgents from the Aleppo region, where two bandit chiefs were captured. Meanwhile, Aloroccan reports state that Riffians, under Abd-el-Krim, are crumbling rapidly, and numerous tribes are unwilling to resume operations against the French, evidence of which is found in the surrender of the whole of the Senhadjaz tribe, considered among the most devoted of Abd-el-Krim’s forces, to Colonel Norms, who received from the Sanhadjaz machine guns and hostages. Ouezzan reports state that the Djc.balh tribe has revolted and imprisoned several chiefs whom Alb-el-Krini had appointed.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. The Chamber of Deputies held a debate on the Estimates of the Alinistry for War. The Under-Secretary for War announced that the French' losses in Aforocco since the beginning of the year numbered 2640 killed, .552 wounded, and 1220 missing.—Reuter.