MENACE TO GREECE

Grey River Argus, 21 November 1946, Page 5

MENACE TO GREECE

GUERRILLA WAR

Anxiety in Capital

(Rec. 6.40.) LONDON, Nov. 20. The Times Athens correspondent says that after three days of heavy fighting, the Greek Army forces now fully control the Mount Skra area, hut reports from other areas are causing much anxiety in Athens. In some Macedonian areas guerrillas are reported to have established socalled “free zones,” in which they publish their own newspapers, collect taxes, and have their own courts fpr trying offences against guerrilla rule.

In Anthrakia village, where Western Macedonia guerrillas have established their headquarters, a guerrilla court is reported to have passed the death sentence on eighteen persons last week, for anti-guerrilla activities. There is widespread feeling, the correspondent says, that the approaching winter weather may hinder the guerrillas’ activities, but those who lived in the mountains with the resistance forces during the occupation, know that the winter is likely to hold more disadvantages for organised military forces than for mountain hands.

(Rec. 5.5.) ATHENS, Nov. 19. Members of the Opposition, angered by an accusation by M. Tsaldaris, (Greek Prime Minister), during the debate on Macedonia, that they were “anti-national,” walked out of Parliament, and the House was suspended for the session. M. Tsaldaris previously said the situation as represented to the House by the Opposition Member and the National Unionist M. Kenellopoulos, was that “practically the whole of Macedonia was already in Tito's hands.” A Greek Army intelligence officer stated that Yugoslavia has five divisions along the Greek frontier. Armed bands are fighting on the Greek-Yugoslav frontier. Other mountain rebels are extending their area of operations in central Macedonia, and new control 100 villages in the Grevena region. Rebels attacked a village near Kilkis, set fire to a school, a church and houses, and massacred the inhabitants.

Athens newspapers report that 712 persons in a village west of Skra were burned to death, but no details are given. ■ The total strength of the rebel bands in all operations is estimated to be 1500. A Macedonian report states th 'd some Greek soldiers who have escaped from rebel captivity have seen uniformed Yugoslav soldiers among the rebels. Greek troops at. Arkhangelos- used heavy mortars and troops pursued the attackers until they came against r-v defence line manned by rebel reinforcements. The police at Salonika arrested three persons who were preparing to depart to join the rebels. Other arrests made were in connection with the discovery of a recruiting centre in a village near Salonika. Troops of the Tenth Greek Division, after a hard fight, chased the rebels from the Greek outpost of Notia, about three miles from the Yugoslav border. Groups fled into Yugoslavia, and others towards the Mount Tzena forest. Artillery reinforcements have been ordered to the Lake Dogransko region, where the Greek and Bulgarian frontiers meet, and a new attack is feared. (Rec. 5.5.) SOFIA. Nov. 19. The Foreign Minister M. Kulishev, replying to a question about the Greek allegation of frontier incidents, stated that no important incidents were reported on the Bul-garion-Greek frontier. He declared that insignificant incidents had been caused by Greeks and not by Bulgarians and one Bulgarian frontiersoldier had been killed. ITALY’S FURTHER EFFORTS. TO SETTLE WITH YUGOSLAVS. (Rec. 5.5.) ROME, Nov. 19. The Yugoslav Government has refused the Italian Government’s request for an Italian mission to organise the return of the Italian prisoners of war from Yugoslavia. The Government has instructed the Italian Ambassador to Washington, Signor Tarchiani, to approach Yugoslav representatives in New York to initiate direct negotiations on the Trieste and other frontier problems. LONDON, November 19. Mr Mayhew, Under-Secretary to the Foreign Office, replying to questions in the House of Commons, said he had received a number of petitions asking the Foreign Office to intervene on behalf of Archbishop Stepinac, but it had been decided that Britain had no legal grounds for making official representations. The Government found it impossible to dispute the Yugoslav contention that the trial and sentence of Archbishop Stepinac was a domestic matter.