Evening star., 1936-03-02
Italy Skaters Ethiopian Lines
In North, Killing 10, 600 Natires
Badoglio Troops Seize
Mountains in Most Dra-
matte Battle of War.
Fascist Planes F0Il0,c
Fleeing Bands, Bomb
ing Then, Heavily.

Copyright. 1895. by the Associated Press.)
WITH THE ITALIAN ARMY ON
THE NORTHERN FRONT. March 2.
"A series OF severe encounters, carry
ing the italian army to Amba Alaji
and clearing out the Tembien sector
with an estimated Ethiopian loss Of
10000 dead, shattered virtually all
northern resistance today and opened
the way into the heart of Ethiopia.
The last remnants of any Ethiopian
organization left in the Tembien
mountains are 5000 men, absolutely
surrounded, but still holding Abbi
Addi, IS miles west Of Makale, in the
face Of determination or surrender to
the Italians.
The Sd Army Corps of white Italian
soldiers and the Eritrean Army Corps
Of natives are pouring artillery fire
into the town. Planes are drenching
the stronghold with bombs.
"'Will Not Relinquish Alive"
This last Ethiopian stand in the
Tembien sector is being commanded
by Ras Seyoum. holding forth at Abbi
Add, his birthplace, which he has de-
clared he never will relinquish alive.
Ras Kassa, the second principal
Ethiopian chieftain on the northern
front, is believed to have escaped
from the Fascist offensive, which
crushed his army. but to be in head
long flight into the interior, with no
more than so men as bodyguard.
1t is impossible to question the
scope of the Italian victory. Ethiopian
bands are fleeing in all directions.
Fascist planes are following the re-
treating columns across the Takazze
and Gheva Rivers to the west, bomb
ing them fiercely.
The Tembien sector is cleared for
Italian organization and consolidation.
A line is established from Amba Alaji,
40 miles south of Makale and more
than 100 miles south of Eritrea, along
the Takazze and Gheva Rivers.
To Attack in All Directions.
Marshal Pietro Badoglio is making
careful preparations for attacks in all
directions. The only question seems
to be how far the Italians-not con-
tent with their present penetration
want to 60 before the Spring rainy
season starts.
The Italian high command esti-
mates that about 10000 Ethiopians
have been killed in the fighting, which
began last Wednesday night, to not
more than 1000 Italians.
Italian aerial observers report that
the Ethiopian warriors are throwing
away their arms, swords and NUM-
tions to appear as peasants belonging
to this terrible tortuous countryside.
Ras Kassa's army. estimated tc
have numbered between 10000 and
10000 men when the engagements
started in the Tembien region, was
virtually destroyed.
Three battles stood out in this third
great offensive five-month-old war
advancing the Italian front lines to
Ainba Alaji after the first movements
to Aduwa and then to Makale. and
ending the threats from the Tembien,
just to the west.
Mountain Is Captured.
The Battle of Enderta carried the
Italians to Amba Aradam, halfway
from Makale to Amba Alaji; the cap
ture of Amba Alaji last Thursday
completed that line of action, and a
surprise attack Wednesday night and
Thursday took Amba York, the strate-
gic mountain center in the Northern
Tembien sector.
The storming of Amba York, on the
same day Amba Alaji was captured,
was the most dramatic single action
of the war.
A picked battalion of Alpine troops
and an Eritrean corps bore the brunt
Of the all-day York Mountain Battle.
with casualties there alone estimated
at 5000 Ethipians and 500 Italians.
The Notwithstanding Blackshirts
scaled the two peaks of Amba York
under cover of darkness Wednesday
night, and occupied the two SUBMITS
without being detected by the Ethi-
opian forces concentrated in the sad
die between the peaks.
The Blackshirts turned their fire
down on the Ethiopians at dawn
Thursday while the Eritreans attacked