Evening star., 1940-10-27
Armed Greek Bands Fought Off
By A|bonlons, |to|y Charges;
French Cabinet Backs Axis Tie
Soldiers Attacked
Border Outposts,
Rome Announces
~ the Associated Press.

ROME, Oct. 26.-Italy announced
ofiicially tonight that Albanian
troops had fought off armed Greek"
bands" in frontier clash on AL
banian soil. and foreign observers
considered the incident might set off
4 long-expected outbreak of hostili-
ties in the Balkans
The Rome radio identified the
Greeks as soldiers
A communique put the scene of
the clash in the vicinity of Koriza,
which is some Is miles from the
Greek border
1t added that the Greeks had
attacked Albanian outpoSts with
rifles and hand grenades, saying:
The prompt action of an AL
banian patrol and the successive
intervention of other units helped
throw back Immediately the enemy
band which had penetrated into
Albanian territory"
Six Greeks were captured; two
Albanian soldiers killed and three
wounded
Bombs Hit Near Headquarters.
The communique likewise asserted
that three bombs exploded last
night near the headquarters Of the
italian lieutenant general at Port
Edda - formerly known as Santi
Quaranti and renamed after the
Italian occupation of Albania-and
that two persons were slightly
wounded.
Greek or English agents were
blamed and it was said they were
being sought
investigations are being made
into the two episodes the commu-
nique added. meanwhile calm has
returned to the two zones
1t was believed that the fighting
might lead to the dispatch OF an
Italian punitive expedition to
"avenge" the Albanians and to full
fill their demands for Greek terri
tory.
Such an action also would be in
pursuit o. the axis aim to drive
British influence out of Southern
Europe.
Albania has been part OF the
Fascist empire since its seizure by
Italian troops on Good Friday of
1899.
Air Service Suspended.
Today Italy was reported to have
suddenly suspended air service to
Greece until November 4 under cir
cumstances suggesting to some for
eign observers that the FaScistS, were
thus setting a deadline for that
little country to end its friendship
with Britain and bow to the axis.
Nothing was said officially about
the action-which had certain ap-
parent parallel in the postponement
OF Italian steamship Sailings shortly
before the country entered the war
against France and England-but
thn Italian press many times has
stated that there must be "clarifica-
ton" of the position of Greece, and
Turkey as we'll.
his gesture occurred almost ST.
mult2neOu-ly with a statement Of
the Official Rome radio that the
long-expected ajor Fascist often
size in Egypt was imminent.
Tho North African army of Mar
shal Rodolfo Graziani. said the ra-
dio. is nov ready and fully prepared
to deal final blow to the British in
Egypt The blow will fall at any
moment"
In the press there appeared mi
mute descriptions of preparations
which we're declared ready to the
last detail.
French Passive Aid" Indicated.
On the diplomatic side, a source
who usually is reliable said an agree
ment under which France would give
passive aid" in the war against
Britain probably had been reached
In Adolf Hitler's discussions with
French Chief of State Philippe Pc
tain.
France, this informant added,
might allow the Germans the use of
military bases and air fields in that
part of the Mediterranean area
which now is part of the occupied
section.
The Italian high command Off
cially reported that British warships
had shelled the Fascist positions
near the italian advance base at
(See ALBANIA, Page A-4J