KRIM'S STRONGHOLD FALLS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19140, 5 October 1925, Page 9

KRIM'S STRONGHOLD FALLS

SPANIARDS TAKE AJDIE.

REJOICINGS IN MADRID.

SEVERE BLOW TO BIFFS.

CUT OFF FROM THE SEA.

REFUGE IN MOUNTAINS.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received 7.5 p.m.) Renter. LONDON. Oct. 3. The capture of Ajdir, the Moroccan stronghold of Abd el Krim. by the Spaniards is officially reported. Until the Spanish landing at Alhucemas was effected the Riff leader had his headquarters at Ajdir, but he then removed them inland. A. message from Madrid says that, filler a careful reconnaisance, the Spaniards entered Ajdir and also occupied a number of other positions. They dislodged the enemy, who abandoned a large quantity of material. The Riffs' losses were considerable. Prior to the fall of the town it was bombarded and set on fire. Nearly the whole of the population left. There are great rejoicings in Madrid. King Alfonso appeared at the window of his palace and received a tremendous ovation. The Spanish newspapers are ecstatic over the capturo of Krim's stronghold. They assert that he is no w cut off from the sea and from the fertile lands which surround Ajdir from the Guis to the Nekor Rivers, and that he will be compelled to take refuge in the mountain justnesses. There, they say, he will lead a precarious existence and will have more reason to fear his allies than his enemies. The Spaniards have already emplaced loag-range guns on the Paloma ridge. They are now building an aerodrome near Morro Neuvo An earlier communique claimed that with the recent capture of the dominating heights, including Adrar Sedciun, the Spaniards had completely established the military base required for the advance on Ajdir, and were then masters of practically the whole of Alhucemas Bay. A despatch from Fez states that the operations of the French on the front in the Kiffane region are temporarily at a standstill. French troops brilliantly carried all the heights, whit h were strongly held hv the enemy, and reached all their objectives. The French losses during the two days' offensive were only 15 killed and SO wounded. The air force carried out 60 bombing raids on Thursday.

FRENCH ATTITUDE.

REJECTED PEACE TERMS. , JOINT ACTION NECESSITATED. (Received 7.5 p.m.') Router. PARIS. Oct, 3. Referring to the Moroccan war in a speech at Nimes, the Premier. M. Painleve, said the French 2one had been brutally invaded by the Riffs, but Prance, loyally in accord with Spain, would he most generous to the rebels. The latter had been promised complete autonomy within the limits of the treaties, but a grant of complete independence would

i merely reopen a dangerous question. \ Morocco as a European problem would make ih<t Riff territory a " happy huntiing ground" for international adven- > turers.

M, Painleve read the Franco-Spanish 'agreement, signed on July 18, which was communicated to Abd el Krim. This guaranteed autonomy and offered to negotiate on the basis of a mutual amnesty, the delimitation of boundaries, the appointment of a police force, the prohibition of traffic in arms and the demarcation of a sector of the coast to be occupied by Spain. The Premier said Abd el Krun's agents had refused to consider these terms. They bad insisted on absolute independence. This had necessitated joint action by France and Spain.