Asmara Surrenders

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 80, 3 April 1941, Page 7

Asmara Surrenders

British in Possession Of Eritrean Capital

FIGHTING RENEWED IN LIBYA United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, April 1. Asmara, the capital of the Italian colony of Eritrea, is now in British hands. The surrender of this key town was officially announced in Cairo to-day. This victory has been scored within five days of the capture of *the fortress town of Keren. Asmara has a large population, including 50,000 Italians. British troops in their advance on Asmara had to contend not only with very difficult mountain country, but also with many obstacles set up by the retreating Italians to stem the rapid advance. These included a huge landslide, which it was at first estimated would take our sappers five days to clear, but their heroic work under constant fire from the enemy enabled a clearance to be accomplished in seven hours, and passage was opened up for the further rapid advance of our mechanised forces. Powerful support in the advance was given by R.A.F. and South African bombers. To-day’s communique from British General Headquarters at Cairo states; “In Libya, advanced elements of our forces were yesterday in contact with enemy infantry and mechanised units in the Mersa Brega area. Mersa Brega is about 200 miles from Benghazi. “In Eritrea, Asmara is now in British hands. During the last 48 hours, a further 800 prisoners have been taken, including another brigade commander. “Although iu the Abyssinian area also communications have been extensively damaged by the retreating Italian forces, our advance from Diredawa astride the railway and road to Addis Ababa is making rapid progress. In all other sectors, penetration into Southern Abyssinia is enlarging, particularly in the area north of Lake Rudolf. ’ } Asmara has a population of 100,000 of whom half are Italians, and is the centre of communications in Eritrea. To the north-west run the road and railway to Keren, a distance of 60 miles; to the east, a road and railway to the Red Sea port of Massawa, 75 miles; and to the south, two roads which radiate into Abyu The possession of . not only a direct threat to - )ut also threatens finally to o ...ununications between Abyssinia u.ui Massawa, leaving the road to Assab as the only link between Abyssinia and the Red Sea.