Evening star., 1941-04-14
Strong YugosIav Push
Is Held in Check at
Seufari, Italy Says
RuiIrood Center at knin
Besieeed, Rome High
Command Declares
n the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
ROME, April 14.-Italian dis
patches today reported strong mass
attacks by Yugoslavs on Premier
Mussolini's troops at Scutari, in
Northern Albania, but said the
Yugoslavs had been held in check.
At the same time, the high COM
mand said, the railroad center at
Knin, so miles from cara on the
Adriatic coast in Western Yugo-
slavia, had been besieged by the
FasciSts. italian troops also spread
farther southwark in their occupa-
ton of Yugoslav territory east of
Lake Ohrid
An advance toward KoritZa, first
important Italian base occupied by
the Greeks in their counteroffensive
m Albania last winter, also was
reported by the high command
Sharp Fighting in Snow.
The Fascists have been battling
toward Koritza since yesterday after
breaking through Greek lines. it was
said.
II Lavoro Fascista's correspondent
on the Albanian front said the
Scutari sector had been the scene
Of sharp fighting in snow, rain and
cold for the past 48 hours.
The Yugoslavs made violent
drives, the correspondent said, and
tried, unsuccessfully, to land troops
from boats on the eastern shore Of
Lake Scutari
Serb troops operating against
Scutari are numerous, composed of
divisions of the 3rd and 5th Armies
reinforced from the garrison at
Rotor said the correspondent.
THE attack started 48 hours ago,
but has failed to make progress and
is effectively held in check by our
troops, who are resisting with line
of safety beyond Kopliku, about II
miles beyond Scutari"
Kopliku is on the east side OF
Lake Scutari, while Scutari is at
the southern end.
The Yugoslav plan, he said, was
IOl lllICC W SOAA'Nt SN VA
Scutari with fourth column op-
Grating against Precali having the
task of forcing a passage over the
Drin River and threatening the
italian garrison from the rear.
The operations started from Anti
vari (Bar) on the coast west of
the lake, Podgorica, the Vermoschi
Valley and the Azen River, he said.
Hundreds Reported Taken.
Hundreds of Yugoslav prisoners
were reported taken, while Italian
motor torpedo boats continually
cruised the lake to prevent an at
tack from the water.
Two Serb divisions operating in
the front line suffered serious losses,
but nevertheless the yelling masses
throw themselves in ever larger
numbers, but uselessly, toward our
positions, he write.
The Italians were using machine
guns, bombs and light and heavy
artillery. he said.
Other dispatches said four Yugo-
slav divisions composed of IL regi-
ments and numbering $4,000 men
were routed in the zone between De-
bar, on the central section of the
Albanian frontier, and Lakes Ohrid
and Presba.
The Yugoslavs, divided by the Ger
man Army in this sector, were said
to be falling back from Piscopeia
toward Tetovo, 20 miles west of
Skoplje, and southwark toward
Struga on the shore of Lake Ohrid.
Long lines of prisoners, many of
whom had changed from uniforms
to civilian clothes, were reported
taken by the Italians in this sec
ton.
Koritza, toward which the Italians
were advancing, has been held by
the Greeks since November %.
Four Islands Taken.
The high command also reported
the occupation of four small islands
on the Yugoslav coast.
The Yugoslav islands captured
were listed as Sestrugno, ESQ.
Raviane and Puntadura.
The high command reported in
creased air activity. with the bomb
ing of the Yugoslav towns of Rotor
Llpol, Mostar and Divulje.