BITTER FIGHTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 October 1943, Page 3

BITTER FIGHTING

BETWEEN RIVAL FACTIONS IN YUGOSLAVIA EACH SIDE BLAMING THE OTHER. — GERMANS SAID TO BE AIDING MIKHAILOVITCH. i By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 10.20 a.m.) LONDON, October 25._ Bitter fighting is going on in Yugoslavia between Chetnik and Partisan forces. The People’s Army of Liberation (General Tito’s Partisans), in a communique, says attacks were initiated by Chetniks, led by General Mikhailovitch. General Mikhailovitch, in a message to the Yugoslav Government in exile, blames the Partisans for the conflict. Forces have clashed in the Montenegro and near the old Albanian-Greek frontier. The Partisans allege that Mikhailovitch’s men were supported by a detachment of Germans. Correspondents point out that these are the first clashes between rival sections of Yugoslav guerillas reported for some time. It was recently reported from Cairo that King Peter had ordered General Mikhailovitch to avoid all further clashes with the Partisans. The Chetnik forces still regard the Partisans as extreme Leftists, and as a much greater danger to post-war Yugoslavia than are the Germans. Correspondents say this is an unfair allegation. There are only small elements of Communists and in any case these, according to reliable reports, have dropped all politics to fight the common enemy —Fascism.