CLOSING IN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 May 1941, Page 6

CLOSING IN

FORCES IN ABYSSINIA ONLY 20 MILES APART. NORTH AND SOUTH OF AMBA ALAGI. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.21 a.m.) RUGBY. May 13. A Middle East communique states: “There is no change in the situation at Tobruk. "In the Solium area, the enemy carried out a reconnaissance in force, advancing eastwards in five small columns. When met by advanced elements of our mechanised forces, in the area west and south of Sofafi, the enemy turned back. Our air forces have been afforded particularly good targets by the withdrawing enemy. “In Abyssinia a further 200 Italians have been captured by the British troops advancing on Amba Alagi. Operations in this area continue to develop satisfactorily. In the south, despite heavy rain, our forces are continuing to advance in al! areas. In the lakes district, south of Addis Ababa, our troops successfully' assaulted an enemy position, inflicting heavy casualties and capturing thirteen Italian and 145 African prisoners. “There is nothing of importance to report in Iraq.” According to the latest information in London concerning the campaign in Abyssinia, the British forces operating round the Amba Alagi position have made further progress. The southern force is at Maiceu and is thus separated by less than twenty miles from the northern force. In Southern Abyssinia, the British troops have now occupied the last enemy position in the Wadara neighbourhood. The British are in contact with the enemy north of Sciasciamannia.

POSITION IN IRAQ

OCCUPATION OF RUTBA COMPLETED. (Received This Day. 12.15 p.m.) LONDON. May 13. The situation in Iraq is described as stabilised. British mechanised forces have completed the occupation of Rutba. REBEL CLAIM

HOLD ON WESTERN AREA. (Received This Day, 12.15 p.m.) LONDON, May 13. An Iraq General Staff communique asserts that the Iraquis are masters of the situation in Western Iraq, where British armoured forces were repulsed in violent fighting around Rutba.