EIGHTH ARMY

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 111, 4 February 1943, Page 5

EIGHTH ARMY

Coastal Column Advancing TUSSLE FOR PASS IN TUNISIA LONDON, February 3. A communique from Cairo states that yesterday our troops in the coastal sector occupied Zilten and were i contact with the enemy withdrawing to the west. Air attacks against small shipping operating off the Tunisian coast were continued. Zilten is a small town 20 miles .beyond Zuara and the same distance from the Tunisian frontier. vnrrp It is learned that Royal Air 1 orce fighter-bombers and Australian bombers have again attacked Zarzis, the first Axiport inside Tunisia. American Advance.

The Associated Press correspondent in North Africa, quoting an Allied spokesman, says that the attack against Sened, in southern Tunisia, was purely a raid, and the Americans withdrew after accomplishing their purpose Reuter reports that the column which captured Sened cleared out three companies of German infantry and also 18 lorry-loads of. reinforcements, and then advanced northward to Mee Two American columns are closing in against Maknassi, which was apparently erroneously reported to. “ a been captured last Friday. One is advancing from the west following the capture of Sened, and this column has already linked up with the second, which is moving south from Sidi Bousid. An American force farther to the north is trying to retake Faid Pass, but has not made much headway against the strongly-entrenched enemy. The Germans have artillery sited on the slopes on both sides of the pass. Allied planes are actively participating m the operations, and Boston bombers. scored direct hits on a large concentration ot vehicles, including at least 10 tanks. The Germans again attacked our positions in the Pont du Fahs area, and were driven back. It would appear that this German attack is an endeavour to prevent troops being moved from this area to reinforce the Allied troops to the south.