Evening star., 1943-02-20
Nazis Thwarted
In Push THROUGH
Mountains
British and Americans
Maintain Stabilized
Line in Algeria
BY the Associated Press.

by tne ASSoclaec PRESS.
United States and British
troops guarding stabilized
mountain line in Central Tu-
niSia have crushed an attempt
by Marshal Erwin Rommel's
forces to thrust again toward the
Algerian base of Tebessa through
passes above Sbeitla and Kas-
serine, it was announced today
at Allied headquarters in North
Africa.
A strong German patrol lost six
tanks and six propelled guns
when it clashed with an Allied bri-
gade near Sbiba, 20 miles north of
Sbetila, and Nazi losses were even
heavier in an attack against Ameri-
can combat troops at the KaSsenrine
Gap, spokesman said.
AS a result if the two setbacks
to Rommels forces, military author
tiles in North Africa agreed that
the tide had turned" and that the
Axis Tunisian offensive probably
would be limited hereafter to tenta-
tive jabs at the Allies new noun
tain line in a search for weak
spots.
Allies Shape Offensive.
1t was announced that Gen. Sir
Harold Alexander. former COM
.nander of the British 9Th Army in
the Near East. had assumed per-
sonal command of all Allied ground
forces in Tunisia under the supreme
leadership of Gen. Dwight D.
Eisenhower and had begun shaping
his plans for the expected Allied
offensive.
Loss of American equipment in the
last week was expected to throw the
Allies timetable off schedule some
what because of the difficulty in
bringing up supplies, but tne loss OF
most of Central Tunisia was re-
garded here as an incident" in the
campaign as whole.
Bad weather, meanwhile, curtailed
| all air operations as snow, rain and
| high winds swept most of Tunisla.
/ An Allied communicate revealed
that all American, British and
French troops had withdrawn froN
forward positions in the Ousseltia
| Valley, running between mountain
chains extending SO miles southwest
of the Axis base at Pom du FANS.
The Germans launched their in
| fantry and armored attack on the
Kasserine Gap early Thursday
morning but met strong resistance
from American units on both sides
| of the pass.
The Germans made some small
gains early in the fighting, but by
nightfan these had been completely
wiped out, and the attacking forces
retired in the direction of Kasserine.
Nazis "Strongly Entrenched."
Farther to the north, what was
described as a strong German
patrol, composed of infantry and
tanks" ran into British guard units
while trying to force the pass above
Sbeitla and were badly mauled.
Field reports said the Germans
were strongly intrenched" at
Feriana, % miles southwest of Kas-
Serine.
American forces were working at
top speed to re-equip their regi-
ments which bore the brunt of the
Germans powerful westward thrust
in the last week.
The German communique broad
cast from Berlin today declared
nearly 5000 prisoners, almost all
Americans" were captured in the
Central Tunisian fighting of the
week. The Italian high command
yesterday listed the total at 2,876.
Sth Army Continues Duel.
Meanwhile, the British 9th Army
continued its artillery duel with
Rommels forces in the Medenine
area of Tunisla yesterday and far
ther south along the Mareth Line
British patrols were in contact with
Axis forces north of Foum Tata-
houine, a British communique said
today in Cairo.
The 9th Army, although expert
enced with the desert storms of
tSee AFRICA, Page AID