Evening star., 1940-11-17
konitzu Retuken
BY Defenders,
Athens SoyS
1y the Associated Press.

n N1CCNC, ANONs ~ 'ONiA
day Italian troops fleeing in
Southern Albania from the advance
Of the Greeks have set on fire their
base town of Koritza, the Greek
high command reported today. Ko-
rita is in the northern sector OF
the battle front.
The high commands announce
ment was issued shortly after
government spokesman reported the
recapture by the Greeks of the town
Of Konitza, in the central Pindus
Mountain region, to which the Ital-
ians penetrated in sweep toward
Metsovon.
The Italians have set fire to other
villages in their retreat, the high
command said, but did not name
the towns.
A series of battles was fought,
the high command said, "all over
the entire front and Epirus and,
particularly, in the mountainous re-
eions east of Koritza" throughout
the day.
Many prisoners were taken by
us and guns, hoWitzers and ma
terial of all descriptions were cap
tured," the communique added.
Peasants Machine -gunned.
The Ministry of Home Security
charged that enemy planes ma
ne-gunned" peasants at work
and grazing fiocks on the island
Of Corfu, but no damage or casual
ties were reported.
The high command also reported
that Italian planes again bombed
towns and villages not representing
military importance, but no casual
ties were reported"
The recapture of Konitza meant
the reoccupation of one of the last
salients still held by the Italians In
Greek territory.
It was part of general offensive
declared to be driving the Italians
back on the entire front from the
Yugoslav frontier to the Ionian Sea.
Along the coast. the Greek Navy was
reported shelling the retreating Fas-
cists behind their lines.
The government spokesman said
that in addition to the success at
Konitza there were reports. not yet
ofiicially confirmed, that $50 Italian
prisoners had been taken and four
big guns seized.
Morava Reported Taken.
There were also reports that Greek
troops had taken the village of Mora
va. about 3 miles from the i'm
portant Italian base of Koritza in
Albania. Koritza is at the northern
sector Of the battlefront while Kon-
itza is the central Pindus region
The whole lofty 100-mile-long
battlefront erupted violently. Every
weapon in the Greek armory-bayon-
eted rifles, machine guns, artillery,
bombing planes-was thrown into
the struggles in the hope that the
war was approaching a decision.
The official radio, echoing military
dispatches to the press, announced
to the country:
THE enemy has been dislodged
from all positions. The organized de-
Tense can hardly withstand the
Greek attacks for more than a few
hours"
The activity of the Greek Navy,
reported by the newspaper lima,
was not discussed in detail but it
was declared that all Italian posi-
tions were increasingly menaced"
and that italian communications
generally were in imminent peril of
destruction.
Greek sources asserted that the
entire Italian Army in Albania was
in danger of being cut into three
parts and thus encircled segment by
segment.
Violent Artillery Duelling.
The heaviest of yesterdays action
was In the northern sector, where
there was violent artillery duelling
and air fighting.
The italians were reported to have
rushed reinforcements to that re-
gion-before they could establish
satisfactory communication with
supply bases, the Greeks said-but
70 have failed nevertheless to halt
the slow encirclement of Koritza by
Greek forces completing the opera
ton from the northeast.
In the center of the front, the
Greeks, operating from a high. cold
line of the Grammos Mountains,
claimed to be pressing steady ad-
vance toward Leskovik, Albania.
They said the Italians were re-
treating in the Kalamas district and
had hastily re-crossed the river of
that name.
Everywhere, according to Greek
accounts, the major action was on
Albanian territory and at some
points well within that Italian
dominated country, from which the
invasion was sprung 20 days ago.