FIGHTING IN BURMA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25457, 11 February 1944, Page 3

FIGHTING IN BURMA

ALLIED SUCCESSES ENEMY FORCE ENCIRCLED (Rec. 10 p.m.) CHUNGKING, Feb. 9. Chinese troops in northern Burma, fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with the British and Americans, encircled Japanese at Shihyinho, four kilometres to the south of Tanai River crossing. Four days later the Chinese annihilated the enemy and captured many prisoners and weapons. The Chinese also mopped up enemy remnants on the north bank of the Tanai River. A British Official Wireless message states that there has been more severe fighting on the Arakan front. Units of the 14th Army repulsed Japanese attacks on our positions, and captured an enemy supply column. North-east of Buthidaung we have driven the Japanese from a hill feature with heavy losses. R.A.F. dive-bombers, supporting our troops, kept up their attacks on the Japanese around Buthidaung, and on an enemy-occupied village. A New Delhi correspondent says it is evident that the Japanese threat to our communications at Arakan has been checked. Since his sudden appearance in one of the areas five days ago the enemy has been held, and fresh attempts to push westwards to his supply point of Maungdaw, have been beaten back. Nor have the Japanese resumed their threat to our own strongpoints. Fourteenth Army troops are reported to be holding positions less than three miles from Buthidaung.