Evening star., 1941-02-26
British Capture
Somd|iCdpitdI;;
Italians Trapped
Empire Forces Drive
so Miles Up River
Into Colony
b the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
NAIROBI, Kenya Colony, Feb.
26-British Empire forces pounding
Fascist defenders of Italian Somali-
land by land. sea and air have cap
tured Mogadiscio, the colony's cap
ital, on the seacoast and plunged so
miles up the Juba River in the in
terror, an official announcement said
today.
South and East African forces CO.
operating with Gold Coast regiments
beating up the river. where strong
Italian defenses have collapsed.
were declared to have trapped the
main body of FaScists by cutting
their last road of escape.
A communique issued here said
that, by "a conservative estimate, 4"
5000 prisoners had been captured in
the interior. in addition to many
other Italians who had escaped to
the bush country and were now de-
clared to be returning and Surrend-
ering voluntarily.
Penetrated 400 Miles.
With the capture of Mogadiscio,
the empire forces have penetrated
400 miles into the East African COL
ony since launching their offensive
a month ago.
British military quarters in Cairo,
Egypt, said the capture of Moga-
discio would effectively bring all of
Italian Somaliland-area, 270,000
square mileS-under British control
since the region north of Mogadiscio
is regarded as of little importance.
The capture of the port would also
achieve the main object of the cam
paign-to seal the Indian Ocean
side of MuSsolini's East African
empire, these sources said.
The next British move was not
Immediately apparent. Whether
they would strike inland from
Mogadiscio toward Adds Ababa was
problematical The country is bad
and the rains begin in March.
Immediately after the British took
Chisimaio, Indian Ocean port at the
mouth of the Juba River, they began
using 1t as port to supply troops
in Somaliland, thus cutting off a
long, difficult land haul over several
hundred miles over difficult country.
(On the Eritrean front. the
Middle East command announced
In Cairo that a column moving
southwark toward Cheren, noun
tain key to ASmara, that colonys
capital, has again made salts
factory progress" 1t added that
forces already besieging Cheren
were continuing local activity"
Ethiopian patriots. supported
by British troops, were declared
10 have deepened their penetra-
ton of Gojjam Province, in
Northwestern Ethiopia, and also
farther south, causing the evac-
nation of more Italian posts."D
Mogadiscio, the chief seaport
of Somaliland. is the first Fascist
colonial capital seized by the British.
who have occupied eastern Libya. in
North Africa, and are thruSting at
Asmara and Adds Ababa, capitals
respectively of Eritrea and Ethiopia.
in East Africa.
Follows Fall of Bravo.
The announcement that East and
West African troops entered the
Somaliland capital yesterday fol-
lowed by "a hours upon the reported
fall of Bravo. ancient Indian Ocean
port ITO miles to the southwest.
whether the British forces oc-
cupied the intervening territory
between Mogadiscio and Bravo
and the territory between cap
tured Chisimaio and the latter
port was not disclosed in the
Nairobi communique. 1t is pos
sible that troops might have been
landed from ships stealing up to
the Indian Ocean shoreD
A later communique said that
South African forces. who crossed
the Juba River near its mouth in the
vicinity of Chisimaio and captured
Gelib. had struck out up the stream
for 60-mile advance.
This drive northWard was co-or-
(See MOGADISCIO, Page A-4J