GRAVE CLASHES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22201, 11 December 1946, Page 5

GRAVE CLASHES

GREEK CONCERN MOUNTING UNREST ATTACKS _BY REBELS RAIDS NEAR FRONTIERS [(11 a m.) ATHENS, Dec. 10. The Times correspondent in Athens says Government circles are showing deep concern over the deterioration of condit’cns in Western Thrace, where renewed guerrilla activity was reported during the week-end including an attack on a train by mountain rebels -who are alleged to be entering Greek territory through Mont Beles, near the Yugoslav border. The driver of the train was killed on the spot and five or seven soldiers and gendarmes who opened fire against the .rebels were kidnapped. Before ■withdrawing the rebels damaged the engine and burned three wagons, one of which was carrying 200 bags o£ mail. \ Troops Now Engaged Troops have been sent to the scene and clashes are reported to be still occurring in ihe area. ' Forty guerrillas and six troops were killed yesterday in an engagement on the Bulgarian frontier, near the Turkish border, when troops surrounded a well-armed band estimated to number 800 men and forced the guerrillas to retire after a stubborn fight towards Bulgaria. The ' guerrillas took four Greek officers and a non-commissioned Officer with them. A hard grenade was thrown into a meeting of left-wing workers in an Athens cafe last night and killed one person and injured seven others. The grenade is alleged to have been thrown by a right-wing terrorist. An unidentified gunman later fired five shots from a jeep near Omonia Square and killed a tobacco seller. Assassination Feared A total of four persons have been killed and 10 injured in the past 24 hours In the working-class suburbs of Athens, confirming police officials’ fear of an outbreak of political assassinations. The Minister of Public Order, M. Kalkanis, has announced that more than 200 partisans surrendered last fortnight as a result of a modified amlesty granted to mountain fighters.