Evening star., 1941-02-09
North African Drive
Purpose Achieved,
British Declare
Next Step ProbIemotieol;
Troops Still Moppins
Up South of Beneosi
BACKGROUND

BACH
British opened offensive against
italians in Africa December
NTH assault against Fascist out
post in Egypt-Sidi Barrani. Posi-
ton Wds captured, as toere sue
cessipelp italian bases at Bdrdia,
Tobruk. Derna, Crene and Ben
oa,i. In Eest Africa British are
closing in on Italian Possesssions
from three sides.
Jy ths Associated Press.
CAIRO, Egypt, Feb. s.-The Brit
ish said tonight the purpose OF thell
North African campaign-to enc
any Italian threat to Suez-has beer
achieved, with the Italians driver
from all Eastern Llbya.
The next phase OF the desert
drive is problematical.
British and Australian soldier:
still are busy "mopping up the
the battlefield south OF BengaSl
The Italian forces there have beer
cut of from retreat, their resist.
anos has collapsed and they art
"surrendering in large numbers"
Several thousands have beer
brought into the captured naval
and military base, but military
sources 80 far have given no &C
curate estimate of the number.
GRAHAM Aide Reported Taken.
1t was announced that an army
commander reported captured south
of Bengasi was the commander OF
all Cirenaica and second only to
Marshal Rodolfo Graziani, the Fas-
cist commander in chief in North
Africa. His name was not given.
Some of Marshal Graziani's re-
treating forces were reported to
have been defeated by British
armored division in the desert be-
tween Soluch and Agedatia. This
places the British almost halfway
around the Gulf of Sidra, southwest
of Bengasi on a line toward Tripoli.
But Tripoli, the last major Fascist
stronghold in Libya, still is 400 miles
by air to the west of the British
vanguards and to reach it the Brit
ish would have 10 cross 600 miles
of winding coastal road.
Some of Two Divisions Escape.
It is known now that some of two
divisions Marshal Graziani had left
in Eastern Libya after the British
capture of Tobruk and Derna got
away toward Tripoli by road
Although they are believed to be
hampered by a lack of transport
and fuel, it is doubted whether the
British will take up the chase, at
least for the present.
Military sources indicated that
the whole question of the British
pressing on toward Tripoli was
matter which would have to be con-
sidered carefully. Although The
road Is good there is virtually nc
water along this stretch, they said
In London, neutral informants
said that future British plans in
Africa were inextricably wound .
up with the position of France,
which has great, untested army
standing on the western borders
of LibyaD
Developments on Three Fronts.
Along with the Army of the Nile S
North African pacemakers, the Brit
ish general headquarters reported
these developments on three fronts
1000 miles across the continent in
East Africa:
Eritrea-Cheren, the key noun
tain defense point of ASmara, capi-
tai of the Italian colony, is being
put under increasing British pres
sure. An Italian force which with
drew Sunday from Barentu is being
pursued in a retreat toward ArreZa,
go miles south of Cheren, on a tor
tuous trail in the direction of As
mara. the capital.
Ethiopia-Mobile British units are
pressing toward Gondar, in the area
north of Lake Tana.
italian Somaliland-British pa
trolls are deepening their penetra-
tion in the extreme southern part
Military sources here predicted
that Italian resistance around
Cheren would be broken soon.