The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-05-07

ment unoccupied. The plateau due south of the cantonment is reported clear of rebels.
 "On the approach of one of our reconnaissance aircraft insurgents who were occupying a post on the pipe line signified @ wish to sur- render by waving Q white flag. Sub- sequently the post was occupied by our ground troops"
 Ousted Regent Active
 References to the 1raq troops as rebels and insurgents was taken as evidence thatt he busted regent of 1raq, Prince Abdul 1llah, soon would attempt to set up under Bri- tish protection 6 government to suc- ceed the Rashid All Al Gallant regime. '.
 Apparently reliable reports had been received here that Syrian Na- tionalists hada lmost wrecked the British consulate at Damascus. But 1t was said authoritatively today that a "band of hooligans" who demonstrated before the consulate merely threw stones md broke sev- eral windows, without causing seri- ous damage or casualties. Police settle the incident in Q few min- utes, 1t was added.
 The possibility Of @ German coup in Syria was watched as was the possibility that Hitler might exert pressure on the Vichy government in France for cooperation. Use of Syrian airdromes by German planes could play Q big role in the British struggle to re-establish or. der in 1raq.
 Iraq Troops Attack '!
 Berlin, May 7.-(UP)-1raq troops have attacked the British forces at Basra and heavy fighting is in progress with the result still in doubt, ar official news agency dis- patch from Berne, Switzerland, said today, quoting an 1raq general stall communique.
 The Iraal forces started the battle with an attack on British positions, 1t was added.
 Iraoi planes had flown over the British positions yesterday and dropped bombs, the communique was quoted.
 Iraai forces destroyed one Bri- tish plane, seized two others and took 20 British soldiers prisons when five British transport planes at- tempted to effect e landing at Ha- dissa, the communique was quoted. The Iraqi troops, 1t was said, fired on the planes with machine guns.
 British planes bombed Ruta With- out effect, 1t was said.
 The agency asserted that nine British bombing planes and two transport planes had been destroyed yesterday and that five others had been damaged.
 In a dispatch from Tehran, the agency quoted the 1raq radio that only one Iraqi plane had been lost since fighting started.
 Assassins Failed
 Budapest, Hungary, May 7.-(UP) An unsuccessful attempt was made today to assassinate Prince Abdul Illah, busted regent Of 1raq, at Amman, Transpordania. where he had made his headquarters, g dispatch of the Transcontinental News agency from Beirut, Syria, re- ported.
 Agency reports said that Q new Iraqi army, opposition 10 tnat of the Radhid Ali regime. already had been formed in Transpordania and was taking up positions on the Iran frontier. Light motorized forces constituted the main army, 1t was said. ..
 The agency reported also that former Premier Nuri said Pasna had set up 6 government at Amman in opposition to the regime Of Ra- shid Ali Al Gallant, and that he had left with the members or ms government for British-held Basra.
 It had been reported that Prince Abdul intended to go to Basra to ,Ip a "constitutionar government in opposition to Rashid All.
 Reports reached here that tne British were preparing Q big of1en- siye in Iraq in order to impress tne population and occupy key points of the country. -
 Reports continued to circulate at Baghdad, dispatches said, that Turkey was concentrating troops on the Iraq frontier.
 Cairo. May 7- (UP) - British forces have driven Iraqi troops from the plateau dominating the besieged Royal Air Force base at Habbaniya and inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy, general headquarters said today.
 The communique said that the enemy was ejected from the plateau overlooking the Habbaniya canton- ment by British trops and Iraqi lev ies (native troops fighting with the British.
 The pro-Axis Iraqi forces previ- ously had heavily shelled the air base.
 Cairo, May T- CUP) - British troops Monday night successfully attacked forward enemy posts at Totruk, infiicting casualties and taking a number of prisoners" c general hesdQuarteEB couamunique said today.
 (Both the Berlin and Rome com. muniques admitted that the British had counter ~attaeked nt Tobruk but