BITTER FIGHT

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 40, 17 February 1943, Page 5

BITTER FIGHT

CONTINUED IN TUNISIA

FIFTY-MILE FRONT

LONDON, February 16. In central Tunisia bitter fighting continues between American and Axis forces at points along a 50----mile front. Today's news from General Eisenhower's headquarters is that small enemy forces last night entered the oasis of Gafsa, which marks the southern end of the 200-mile Allied line running down through Tunisia from the Mediterranean coast.

A correspondent at Allied headquarters says that the American withdrawal from Gafsa was not unexpected. The whole southern extremity of the Allied line was held with limited men and armour, and when one of the two enemy panzer attacks launched on Sunday threatened to cut off the Americans holding Gafsa they pulled out. They have now taken up stronger positions further to the north-west. Another correspondent says that the main battle is now raging further north, and that the Americans there are faced by the second panzer thrust which came through the Faid Pass on Sunday. He says the bitterest fighting is going on around Sidi Bouseid, a road junction* of some importance. AMERICANS HOLD HILLS. The Americans still hold the hills to the north and south-east of the junction, and it was in this area yesterday that they counter-attacked fiercely in the face of heavy strafing by dive-bombers and threw the Germans back some six miles. The Americans accounted for at least 20 German tanks in this battle. The casualties on both sides were heavy. Behind ihe enemy lines one of the biggest supporting airfields, at Kairwan, was bombed twice yesterday and many aircraft on the grouhd were set ablaze. At least 11 enemy fighters that came up were destroyed.