Evening star., 1941-06-16
Allies Offensive
In Syria Is Slowed
By Fierce Fighting
Beirut, Damascus Almost
Within Grosp; French
Claim Air Victory
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, June 16.-Bloody fight
ing where the British and Free
French had hoped for a minimum
of bloodshed slowed the Allies drive
into the Levant today as Beirut and
Damascus, capitals Of Lebanon and
Syria, almost were within their
grasp.
In spite of strong opposition Of
fered by Vichy troops, Allied forces
captured Kissoue on our right sector
and Sidon on the coast" said general
headquarters in Cairo.
(French military dispatches
from Syria to Vichy admitted
today that the British had cap
tured Kissoue. The Vichy COM
munieue later failed to mention
that loss, however,
The British imperial and De Gaul-
list forces thus were able to ad-
vance to within miles of DamaS-
Gus and II miles of Beirut, accord
Ing to British sources.
Kissoue, strong point in the
outlying defenses of unfortified Da-
mascus. is 10 miles south of the an
cient walls of that capital; Sidon is
20 miles south of Beirut, on the
Lebanese coast.
Tried to Avoid Bloodshed.
although every effort had been
made to avoid unnecessary blood
shed in an operation, of which the
object was to counteract German
infiltration and forestall arrival of
more important German forces,
heavy fighting has also developed
on our central sector the Cairo
communique said.
The central sector is the region
between Beirut and Damascus,
where the Allied thrust has carried
to Djezzine.
Allied columns were said to be
closing in on Damascus from two
sides. lending point to repeated as
sertions here that the fall of the
Syrian capital could "be expected
shortly"
Further west, a column driving up
the Lebanese coast forced French
troops in ancient Sidon, northern
most city visited by Jesus, to fall
back to within II miles of Beirut,
while another outfit, driving inland
from the coast, occupied DJezzlne,
II miles east of Sidon, the British
said.
More Across River.
The Allied force which captured
Kissoue moved Immediately across
the River Aswad to Nahta, within
5 miles of the gates of Damascus,
while another column, circllng to
the north and east, passed Adliyah
and came with 5 miles of the city
in that direction, Jerusalem reports
said.
Vichy acknowledged the loss of
Sidon and said troops withdrawn
from that city had taken up new
positions alorg the Nehr Ed Damour
River.
Edward Kennedy. Associated Press
correspondent with the British forces
around Sidon, said the column op-
Grating in the Djezzine sector-made
up of Australian units reinforced by
several British regiments-Was at
tempting to smash up the Litani
River valley and drive a wedge be-
tween Damascus and Beirut, head
quarters of Gen. Henri Dentz,
French high commissioner of Syria
and Lebanon.
All these advances, made despite
reports that the Axis was throwing
air and sea forces into the fight
to help the faltering French. indi-
Gated the British and free French
had Strengthened their lines to give
them uniform penetration of so
miles into Syria and Lebanon since
they invaded the French mandates
eight days ago.
Vichy reports said the heavy
shelling from nine British Warships
off the Lebanon coast had been
big factor in the loss of Sidon.
1t was at sea, apparently, where
the Axis chose to help the French.
The R. A. F. command at Cairo
reported yesterday that planes of
the fleet air arm had torpedoed an
enemy" vessel near Beirut, the
Lebanon capital. The British have
refrained from. calling the French
the enemy" and have reserved that
word for the Axis powers.
At the same time, the R. A. F.
announced that a force of German
bombers and fighters had ap-
preached the British warships and
had been met promptly by an R.
A. F. fighting force.
Several hostile fighters and one
bomber were damaged" COM
n1llninue said