Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-09

tnDdsto7t OF troop-carrytng planes,
gliderS and parachutistS. Re-
ports have been received for
more than a week that Germans
tDere fltering into Syria to take
1t oUer from the Vichy goDern-
ment.
D. the Associated Press.
LONDON, June 9.-British i'm
perial and Free French forces,
with some mandate officials ana
converts from the Vichy cause
swelling their ranks, have cap
tured age-old Tyre and have
driven to point about 40 miles
from Damascus and Beirut, it
was authoritatively reported to-
day.
Reports from the Allied side of the
fighting indicated half-hearted re-
sistance by the defenders of French
inundated Syria and Lebanon.
But a Beirut communique from
the other side said there was fierce
resistance by the defenders who
have destroyed several armored cars
and shot down two R. A. F. planes.
The Beirut communique said the
r. A. r. had bombed air fields at
Damascus, Aleppo and Levaya. In
Cairo-British headquarters an
nounced that the R. A. F. and the
Royal Australian Air Force gave
continuous support to our troops"
Nazi 'Chutists Reported Taken.
A Reuters british news agency
dispatch from Cairo said the capture
OF 140 German parachute troops, in
Guiding a colonel, by Allied forces
In the Syrian operations had been
reported.
Reuters quoted the Free French
Radio Levant as authority for the
report. This stations announcer
said the Syrian populations were
welcoming the Allies enthusiastically
in the areas already occupied and
that French troops were falling into
line with the invading British and
Free French columns.
The advance marked by capture OF
Tyre (also called Sour on the
Lebanese coast was that of the
coastal column pointed toward
Beirut. A part OF this same force
was reported to have entered the
village of Merdjayoun, just north
east of Tyre.
The towns lie just north of the
sea of Galilee where Christ sought
disciples among the lowly fishermen
Nerd iayoun is southwest OF
Damascus and south of Beirut.
Tyre is midway between Hal1a,
Palestine, and Beirut.
River Litani Crossed.
Allied forces penetrating Syria
and Lebanon have crossed the River
Litani in the coastal sector where
Beirut is the main objective, while
deeper inland the advance has car
ried beyond a line between Ezraa,
Sheikh, Miskine and Kuneitra, the
Near East command announced in
Cairo.
The penetration of the Allied
forces in Syria is progressing" the
communique said.
by this morning they were be-
yond Tyre and later effected
crossing of the River Litani. On
the right they had advanced beyond
the general line Ezraa- Sheikh-Mis-
-Kuneitra.
Close in on Two Capitals.
Threading through some of civil
zation's oldest battlefields, where
Saracen once fought Crusaders, the
Allied forces were said to be closing
In relentlessly on Beirut and Da-
maScus.
Little was known of a spear
head said to have been thrust
up the valley Of the Euphrates from
neighboring Iraq and pointed to-
ward DER Ez-Zor, important out
post nestled in the eastern Syrian
desert about $50 miles northeast of
Damascus.
The Allies indicated there was no
whole-hearted resistance to their
forces-self- proclaimed as liberators
for the Syrians and Lebanese and
their defenders against the forces
Of Hitler.
Military circles said the operation
was one of the most important of
the war because of its vital bearing
on the expected Axis attack on the
Suez Canal.
Jerusalem dispatches said Allied
columns advancing from Palestine
and Trans Jordan-Vichy estimated
their strength at about 20, 1000 mer-
were pushing the French Army of
approximately $4,000 troops back
wherever they met and R. A. F.
headquarters in Cairo said British
planes were encountering little OPP
position.
The Free French radio at
BraZZaville. French Equatorial
Africa, announced last night that
French resistance in Syria and
Lebanon was scattered" but a
Beirut communique said the
French we're defending them
selves brilliantly" against what
Chief of State Petain called
profoundly unjust aggressionD
The attackers were known to be
counting heavily on the success of
appeals-dropped in pamphlets by
American-buil Tomahawk planes
advising the Syrians and Lebanese
of British and Free French promises
of independence for the inundated
territories and urging French SOL