BALKANS TRAP

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25001, 18 September 1944, Page 5

BALKANS TRAP

PLIGHT OFGERMANS ALLIED ADVANCES ALL DOOBS CLOSING AID MOM BULGARIA (Reed. 11.40 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 16 The positions of the Germans in South-eastern Europe are reported from Cairo to be completely out of hand, says the British official wireless. Most German garrisons south of the line east and west of Nish, Yugoslavia, are regarded potentially as in the bag. There are no Germans along the Turkish frontier. Athens is reported to be a passageway for Germans streaming north from the Peloponnese. The evacuation of the Aegean Islands continues to be reported, also that the Bulgarian Army is co-operating with the Russians in keeping the Germans outside the Bulgarian frontiers. Partisans Advance on Nish A Yugoslav communique reports that the offensive continues on all sectors. Yugoslavs are still advancing on tho railway centre of Nish. A later communique from Marshal Tito's headquarters announces that the Yugoslavs have captured Valjevo, the main town in Western Serbia. Russian troops yesterday entered Sofia, says a Moscow communique. The entry of Soviet forces into the Bulgarian capital was unofficially reported a few days ago. The Russian entry into Sofia means that all the Germans in Greece are bottled up, says a Moscow correspondent, as all the main railway lines from Greece run through Sofia, and Marshal Tito's men have cut the smaller lines.

Russians and Rumanians in Northern Transylvania occupied the town and railway station of Toplita and fought their way into over 40 additional localities, including Sovata, says a Soviet communique. A later communique says that Vatia Dornei, in the Toplita region, has also been captured. The Red Army on the Rumanian front is drawing near the important town of Targul Mures, commanding a railway network stretching out to the west across the plain, says the British United Press correspondent in Moscow. The battle of the Carpathian Passes into Czechoslovokia is still in full fury, with the Russians pouring more men into the thrust across the mountains. A Czechoslovak communique says the Czech forces in Eastern Slovakia have made contact with advanced elements of the Red Army which have crossed the Czecho-Polish frontier. The arrival of the Russian Army at Dukla Pass, leading into the eastern part of Slovakia, is an important stage in linking up the Eastern Front with the fighting in Czechoslovakia, says the British official wireless. Czechoslovak aircraft which have been operating with the Royal Air Force until recently have intervened in the fight, and German air activity has weakened. f