UNREST IN SYRIA

Evening Star, Issue 23687, 21 September 1940, Page 12

UNREST IN SYRIA

ITALIAN INTERFERENCE RESENTED SURRENDER OF WAR MATERIAL RESISTED DANGEROUS PROBLEM FOR AXIS AGENTS Press Association —By Telegraph —Copyright LONDON, September 19. The Cairo correspondent of ‘ The Times ’ says: “ More news of unrest comes from the strongholds of France’s Syrian army, and Italian agents at three divisional headquarters have been instructed to make an inventory of French army equipment. Although this is an obvious prelude to the dismantling and seizure of guns, tanks, ammunition, lorries, and planes, the two senior French delegates on the Armistice Commission consented, but the junior officers and men are resisting. French regulars at the chief training base are taking rifles to. their tents at nighttime, and strangers are ordered from the camp. Similar happenings occurred at a base where Italians are trying to secure modern Glen Martin bombers. “The crews of two French submarines at Beyrout are stubbornly staying aboard, grimly awaiting the moment when they will be asked to come off. Syrian soldiers at a camp of camel corps near Damascus are refusing to give up their camels and ammunition. They are reported to have buried ammunition in the mountains, setting a delicate and dangerous problem for Italian agents who are endeavouring to rot the French army from within. The Italians fear resistance besides sabotage.

“ The attitude of the French soldier can be summed up as follows: —“ We have the guns. What are you going to do about it? ” While the Syrians say : “ France is only a mandatory here, and she has no right to hand us over to Italy.”