BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 June 1917, Page 5

BALKANS.

SHARP ARTILLERY ENCOUNTER. OCCUPATION OP THESSALY. Received June 20, 8 p.m. London, Juno 20. A French eastern communique statos: The artillery sharply countered the onemy's in the region of Monastir. We reached the southern ljmit of Thessaly, occupying important spots. The inhabitants handed over a considerable quantity of arms and munitions, MOVEMENTS OP BRITISH FORCES. Received June 20, 6.15 p.m. London, June 10. A Britißh Salonika message states that owing to the advent of the malarial season our troops eastward of the Struma have been somewhat withdrawn. Oun patrols cleared the enemy from six villages on the east bank of the hill. Our positions westward of the river completely dominate the evacuated ground. British detachments are participating in the occupation'of Thessaly and the Piraeus. London, June 19. According to enemy communiques the British, after burning villages, abandoned advanced positions in the unhealthy Struma valley, including Kiupri and Prosenio, on the main Doiran-Seres railway, which is doubtless destroyed at these points, also Baraklidjumn, which is of some strategic importance, as it stands at the entrance to the Reipel Pass. The British, however, still hold the east bank of the Struma and some country beyond.