DRUSE RISING CHECKED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19195, 8 December 1925, Page 9

DRUSE RISING CHECKED.

HOSTILITIES IN SYRIA. HEADQUARTERS CAPTURED. FRENCH POST ATTACKED. !AN ALL-DAY ENGAGEMENT. REBELS* HEAVY LOSSES. Telee raoh.—Tress Association.—Copyright. (Received 1Q.5 p.m.) yrenTor. Timos.-Sun. PARIS, Dec. (i, A message from Beirut states that sharp, fighting occurred south of Damascus. A large force of Druses attacked a French post.. A strong French column with tanks, armoured cars and aeroplanes, made a sortie from the city, and after a fight which lasted all day drove off the insurgents with heavy losses. The French tanks, aeroplanes and in-j fantry destroyed the defences of the; Druses. The French captured Hasbeiya. ] The Druses have now evacuated { Lebanon, and it is believed the rebellion j is broken. The French reoccupation of Hasbeiya, I where the Druses had founded a pro- | visional Government, is expected to re-J set in nn important manner throughout I Syria. Hasbeiya is the Druse religions centre, and its recapture virtually removes the menace to Grand Lebanon. The rebels, however, are not vet vowed, and the situation around Damascus and elsewhere it still disquieting. The general outlook is most unsatisfactory. Shelling from the forts is of j nightly occurrence. On Friday the rebels boldly attacked I the Cad'em quarter. The French had to j send a strong column, supported by j tanks, to drive them off.