VICHY TROOPS ON THE RUN

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 228, 23 June 1941, Page 7

VICHY TROOPS ON THE RUN

Capture Of Capital RESISTANCE MAY BE AT END (Received June 22, 10.20 p.m.) LONDON, June'22. “The taking of Damascus must end the resistance of the Vichy forces in Syria,” says the Free French leader, General de Gauile, from Cairo. The Free French radio in Jerusalem says the Vichy troops are on the run. They are encountering supply difficulties, particularly food, which they are requisitioning from villages without payment. Interrogation of prisoners indicates that General Dentz has thrown in ali his forces, including reserves The Free French entered Damascus at 3 p.m. after the most intense fight ing of the campaign. Accounts from Jerusalem say the Vichy forces con tested every inch of the advance from Kesweh. They were well supported by artillery and armoured cars and subjected the Free French to - fierce machine-gunning from prepared positions. .Sharp fighting raged across the railway eight miles south of Damascus till the Free French captured two machine-gun posts with the bayonet. Indian and Colonial troops meanwhile occupied Mezze and then on Saturday pushed on and captured heights threatening the Damascus-Beirut road. The British and Australians in air attacks on the Damascus-Reyak road chased several columns and destroyed manj of a convoy of 120 vehicles which blocked the road.

Vichy sources say the Allies made a three-point attack on Damascus, throwing in large reinforcements and bombarding the city. Agency reports say General de Gaulle’s troops in Syria number 5000, of which 1500 are Frenchmen and the rest legionnaires and natives. The total Allied forces are between 25,000 and 30,000,