TUNISIAN WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 28, 3 February 1943, Page 5

TUNISIAN WAR

IN TWO SECTORS

SMALL OPERATIONS

LONDON, February 2. Fighting has been going on around the fail town of Sened, 20 miles west of Maknassi and about 80 miles west of Sfaxi. Today's communique from Allied force headquarters repotted that our troops had captured Sened, but a later message from a correspondent says that they have withdrawn after wiping out the German garri* son. Some of the Americans who took the town swung northwards to link up with another American column from Sidi Bouzaid. East of Sidi Bouzaid ilerce fighting is reported at a pass which controls the main roads from Sfax into central Tunisia., A communique says our forces, supported by tanks and artillery, have attacked the enemy at one point.

In northern Tunisia Allied troops counter-attacked after the enemy had made a slight gain in the hills south-west of Pont dv Fahs. and the position has been restored. General Giraud has returned to Algiers after an. inspection of the Tunisian front.

(Ree. 9 s.m.) RUGBY, Feb. 2. The attack on Sened was only in the nature of a raid, and it was expected that the Aniericans would either swing away to the south or north. At Faid American artillery, infantry, and tanks launched a heavy attack against a position at the eastern end of the pass and succeeded in making a little progress. The enemy is holding the positions with considerable strength, and the Americans are meeting with considerable opposition. The Germans again attacked our positions in the Pont dv 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.—'B.O.W.

LONDON, February 2. < Patrols of the British Eighth Army were active in all sectors of the. front west of Tripoli yesterday, and beyond! Zuara guns of both/ sides were in action.

A correspondent says there is no official news yet of any further progress to the west, but it is unlikely that things are standing still. At Tripoli men from all units of the Eighth Army paraded for a thanksgiving service. A solemn remembrance for the fallen was spoken by General Montgomery. Off the Tunisian coast halfway between Zuara and the Gulf of Gabes our aircraft yesterday attacked some small ships on Sunday night, and tor-pedo-bombers attacked an enemy convoy off Sicily, badly damaging one of the vessels. The same night one of our fighter-bombers from Malta shot down two German transport aircraft in three minutes, AH our aircraft returned safely.