FRENCH DEEP IN LIBYA

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 119, 13 February 1941, Page 7

FRENCH DEEP IN LIBYA

Crossing Sahara SUCCESSES FROM SOUTH LONDON, February IL Soine 350 miles inside southeastern Libya Free French forces from the Chad Territory have occupied an important oasis area and also stormed an air base in Libya, General de Gaulle's London headquarters announce. The Vichy Government todav (for the first time') permitted reference to Free French successes. The correspondent of the British United Press cabled the news that a report has been circulated in Vichy that a Free F rench column captured a strong Italian garrison at Ghadames (in Tripoli on the frontier of General Weygand’s French West Africa and 550 miles from the Chad frontier ).

The communique issued from Gen ernl de Gaulle's headquarters in London states: “Our forces from (‘had, supported by our air force, are continuing their successful operations in southern Libya. “A motorized column under Colonel Leclerc gained ground by taking several oases in the Koufra area. “On Friday, after a very successful bombing raid carried out by our squadrons in which they destroyed important objectives and numerous aeroplanes on the ground, an Italian air base was stormed. The enemy suffered heavy losses of men and material. Our operations are still progressing satisfactorily.” Koufra is an important military .post and was a base of the firstimportance for Italian communications between Libya and Abyssinia. It is also a religious centre of the great Mohammedan sect. The part of the Sahara Desert separating Koufra from the _ Chad frontier is exceptionally difficult for operations.