WARFARE IN MOROCCO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19141, 6 October 1925, Page 9

WARFARE IN MOROCCO.

SPANIARDS BURN AJDIR. RIFFS TAKE TO MOUNTAINS. FRENCH FORCES ADVANCING. NINETY-EIGHT AIR RAIDS. By Tekgraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Beceived 10.5 p.m.) R«nrtar. PARIS. Oct. 4. A communique from Fez, Morocco, Ftates that 98 separate air raids by French machines last night heralded a general action in the French centre sector. Just before dawn several columns advanced in the dim light and reached the formidable Senhadja Massif, The tribesmen had apparently been numbed and disconcerted by the aerial bombardment, which was the first irnpartant night operation by aeroplanes in Morocco. The French advance is developing favourably. A message from Madrid states that a special despatch has been received there describing the final Spanish advance or. Ajdir. When the Setlum Mountain, which overlooks Ajdir, was carried after severe fighting, the Riffs lost heart, and were seen fleeing with their families and herds into the interior. The first act of the Spaniards, on entering Ajdir, was to set the town on fire. Abd el Krir/s former headquarters were at a modern house, equipped with telephones. It contained handsome furniture, including a writing table, which was covered with newspaper cuttings and documents. A number of gramophones were discovered in the houses of other Riff notables. Abd el Krim had fled on October 1 with his family and servants. Twentyfive mules carried his personal effects. The engineers began to rebury the Spanishi soldiers who had died in captivity, many of whose resting places were marked only by bottles with their names inside. Aeroplanes are now bombing the moantails, to which the refugees from Ajdir fled. The Spanish Embassy in London has received a telegram, from Madrid stating that Spanish troops continue to occupy the territory around Ajdir and the Bay of Alhncemas without resistance. They reached the banks of tho river Nekor, and captured four more guns and a great quantity of war material. This means that nearly the whole bay is now in Spanish hands except the promontory of Cavoqmnantes East. The Franco-Spanish troops carried out » combined operation in the vicinity of Loikos after an intensive bombardment by combined French and Spanish artillery. The French forces operating in the Taza pocket have gained all their objectives with insignificant losses. They are now holding points on the Jeb el Bouib line, which prevents any enemy movement in that district. The French have occupied Saf. Spanish airmen co-operated.