IN MESOPOTAMIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3292, 18 April 1917, Page 17

IN MESOPOTAMIA.

Mesopotamia, official: The Turks rc : ported on the 6th to be retiring on Kifri are now contemplating a converging movement in conjunction with the Turks on the left bank of the Tigris against the British between the Shatt-01-Adhaim and Diala Rivers. Meantime they are holding up the Russians on the upper reaches of the Diala. Our troops reported on the Bth that they were in possession of the left bank of the Shatt-el-Adhaim. We have captured the Belad and Harbe stations, north-westward of Bagdad. An official message from General Maude states: Our withdrawing on the 10th, inst. of the advanced detachments on the right bank of the Diala drew the btilk of th* enemy forces on this flank towards the Diala. We attacked on the moruing of the 11th, and the enemy was driven out of his advanced positions near Gnaliges, north-cast of Daltawa. On the same evening the enemy withdrew six miles towards Seraijik. Operations were continued on the 12th and loth, the Turks falling baok 017 Deli Abbas The Turks lost 700 wounded on the 11th, and 200 dead were Xound. Our casualties were about 200.