The Germans and Italians started forward once again the following week to take Sbeitla. They were held up for two days but eventually the defence started to collapse on the night of 16 February 1943 and the town lay empty by midday on 17 February (see also the Battle of Sidi Bou Zid). The entirety of the interior plains in Axis hands and the remaining Allied forces retreated further, to the two passes on the western arm of the mountains into Algeria, at Sbiba and Kasserine. It was during this time that the 38th (Irish) Brigade left the division, to be replaced by the 1st Guards Brigade from the 78th (Battleaxe) Division.