CONQUEST OF LIBYA

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 22, 27 January 1931, Page 9

CONQUEST OF LIBYA

FIGHTING IN THE DESERT

SENUSSI KOUTED

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph— CopyrlgUt. (Received 27th January, 1 p.m.) HOME, 26th January. Two Italian columns of camel corps, a squadron of armoured cars, and a number of air squadrons, after twentyfour days' fighting the Senussi, captured Et Tag, situated in the heart of a group of oases, 400 miles from the Cyrenaican coast, thereby completing the occupation of Libya. The Italians chased the Senussi rebels for nearly 200 miles on a front of ten to twelve miles, killing, a hundred and capturing many prisoners and much war material. The Senussi abandoned quantities of live stock and many women and children. The Italian losses were 4 killed and 16 wounded. The Governor and Vice-Governor aeroplaned to Et Tag and participated in the ceremony of hoisting the Italian flag.

The Italians took Tripoli and Cyrenaica in North Africa from Turkey after a short campaign in 1911. During the war, while Italy and Britain wore mainly occupied elsewhere, the Senussi, a great tribe of martial Arabs, gave considerable trouble both toward Egypt and in Cyrenaica. In 1916 the British carried out a campaign against the Senussi, in which New Zealanders took a prominent part and occupied Siwa/ on© of the chief oases. After the war the Italians took steps to keep the Senussi in cheek,"and now after many costly expeditions have succeeded in completing the conquest of the hinterland of theii; territory in North Africa.