Madrid, Dec. 25.
Teruel, strategic stronghold oh Gen. Francisco Franco, the Nationalist commander-in-chief, in northeastern Spain. is now completely in the hands of Republican Government troops.
The last nationalist fortified position in the town, where some 400 men, mainly Civil Guards, had been holding out, was captured last evening.
According to a Republican officer, the 100,000 Government troops operating against the town suffered only 800 casualties, while they took 1,500 prisoners, all Spanish.
Features of the battle, which was an all-Spanish affair, were the almost entire absence of the Nationalist air force, the abundance of Republican Government transport, and the smooth running of the supply services, Apart from the moral importance of the victory, Teruel is of considerable strategical value as a salient. It has been a thorn in the Republican Government's side since the beginning of the war—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.