Complex sentence: When Mussolini was captured by Communist partisans in April 1945, it is said that Petacci was offered the opportunity to escape, but she firmly refused and instead tried to protect Mussolini with her body.
Split into simpler sentences: When Mussolini was captured by Communist partisans in April 1945, it is said that Petacci was offered the opportunity to escape. But she firmly refused and, instead, tried to protect Mussolini with her body.