NATIVES9 BLOW

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 126, 21 February 1941, Page 7

NATIVES 9 BLOW

Wide Successes' In Abyssinia MANY REFUGEES (British Ollleial Wireless a ml Press Assn.) (Received February 20. 8.20 p.m. i LONDON, February 19. A Cairo General Headquarters communique states: "In Abyssinia . the patriot situation in the Gojjam continues to develop satisfactorily. " Enjabara has been captured, with many prisoners, while the Italian post of Piccolo Abbai has also been evacuated and occupied. In Italian Somaliland the operations on the line of the Juba River are progressing. On the other fronts there is no change in the situation. From all parts of Abyssinia comes news of the rising tide of Ethiopian revolt which is sweeping across the Gojjam uplands and drawing ever nearer to Addis Ababa. Aheady around the capital there are reported to be between 10,000 and la.ooo patiiots in aims. Haile Selassie s troops are now approaching But ye, a vital communications base, and patriot troops from Kurmuk have invested Asosa. while the British pressure is increasing in Eritrea and Somaliland. Addis Ababa is so packed with refugees that many are being sent to .Asmara and Massawa, in Eritrea. Some British military authorities expect that the Italians will attempt to complete the evacuation of the Abyssinian uplands to Eritrea. Ambushes perpetually menace them outside the towns, and refugees who are crowding Jibuti, French Somaliland, forecast a request fot an armistice. They say that the Italians are trying to bring in to Addis Ababa all their’nationals from the outlying farms and villages. The patriots are so strong that it is not safe to motor outside the capital at night, even under guard. The Italians, therefore, attach vital importance to their strongholds in Eritrea, particularly to the bastion al Keren.

The latest advance of the Abyssinian army livings it within about 80 miles of where the main road to Addis Ababa begins. Another report states that the Abyssinians have now reached a point about 150 miles north-west of Addis Ababa.

The British forces, advancing north of Lake Tana, have now attacked a town about half-way along the road from Gallabat to Gondar. These advances north and south of Lake Tana have been planned to clear the Italians out of the whole area surrounding the lake. The British have a natural interest in this lake, which is the source of the Blue Nile, and upon which much of the irrigation of Egypt depends. The patriots are led by British offiStorniiug of DangilL Selassle’s chief lieutenant scored a very important victory when he captured Dangili (reported yesterday) after a three-days encounter. The attackers harassed the Italian garrison of three battalions with machine-gun and rifle fire, and made several sorties on the edge of the defences. Many of the defenders, including white officers, fell to point-blank fire. The Italians prepared to evacuate their positions, and started to set fire to petrol dumps and houses, but the. patriots charged at night and saved most of this large market town. The Italians fled, with black troops picking them off from the forests in the rear. They are retreating toward country which is already pocketed with Ethiopian positions. The capture of Dangili gives the U.A.F. landing grounds within easy range of Burye, Addis Ababa, Debra Markos and Debra Tabor. In Italian Somaliland South African troops are engaging the enemy forces from the whole of the Kismayu region, which are putting up strong resistance a few miles west of the town. Lorries are constantly rumbling into Kismayu, where the natives and townspeople enthusiastically welcome the British. Bombers Carry On.

Gontiuued aerial support has been given to British troops on the various fronts iu Italian Africa. An R.A.F. communique states .that several more raids have been carried out on Keren and ou military objectives nearby. Fighters of the South African Air Force, while on offensive patrols, destroyed two 579 aircraft on the ground

at Kakale, ami machine-gunned them, and one bomber was seen to be burning. Enemy fighters intercepted the British aircraft, but were driven off. Bomber squadrons of the South African Air Force have been very active over Italian Somaliland during the last few days. Heavy bombs were dropped on Italian headquarters and on stores near Bardera. Other aircraft attacked defence positions north of Jelib, on the Juba River. Aircraft barracks at Isha Baidoa and a camp at Dinsor were also raided. Enemy' aircraft carried out raids on Benghazi, in Cyrenaica on February 16 and 18. One enemy aircraft was shot down by’ a squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force, and several others were so badly damaged that it is unlikely that they reached their base. One other German bomber was shot down by anti-aircraft fire. “Attacks” in Libya. Discussing the military situation, commentators in Loudon express some surprise at the statement in an Italian communique that “attacks have been repulsed” in the Jarabub area, Libya, and point out that though it is not possible to deny that attacks have been made by Imperial troops, such attacks are considered unlikely, as the Italians are isolated in Jarabub, which lies some 150 miles south of Solium, close to the Egyptian frontier.

Regarding the fighting in Eritrea, military circles are inclined to discount a suggestion that if Keren were taken this would be the end of the Fascist empire in East Africa. Although Keren is an important place, there is no military reason to believe that its capture would bring about a general collapse of the Italian forces.

ITALIAN COMMUNIQUE

LONDON, February 19

Au Italian communique says: "We repulsed a fresh violent attack on Jarabub. The air force effectively bombed British motorized units which attempted to approach our positions at Kufra. Tbe Luftwaffe bombed enemy ships and’ harbour installations and a considerable concentration of British mechanized units iu North Africa. We repulsed British attempts to approach our positions ou the Kenya front, inflicting very great losses. The tenacious resistance of our troops at. Keren has brought to a standstill the enemy offensive.”