Hendaye, Sept. 22. A swift Republican attack today ruptured Nationalist defences in the mountainous Manzanera sector north of the Teruel-Sagunto highway, a war communique from Barcelona declared.
A spearhead offensive launched yesterday to break the two-month impasse on the Levant Front sent the Nationalists in headlong retreat while 1,000 prisoners, six field guns, 45 machine guns and large quantities. of sub-machine guns and other war material were captured in the day-old outburst of hostilities. Captured territory included Codon Hill and Hills No. 1593 and 1425.
To the south and West of Madrid on the Estremadura front, the Republicans announced a counter-offensive was being directed against thinly-held Nationalist lines in the Villafranca de Cordova sector, Advancing under a heavy artillery barrage, the Republican infantry claimed to have captured several kilometres of territory and many important new positions, Nationalist Claims Nationalist headquarters claimed the Republicans had lost two kilometres on the Ebro front east of Fatarella in the direction of San Geronimo Republican quarters confirmed the intensity of the Nationalist attacks but insisted that all advances had been repulsed. Three Italian tanks were said to have been destroyed in the drive toward Alcolea.
The Nationalists reported their air force had participated effectively in the attacking, bombing and strafing of Republican defences. They claimed to have shot down eight Republican planes in the past 48 hours. More than 500 prisoners were said to have been captured during the advance.
Nationalist headquarters later denied that the Republican attacks on the Levant Front had been successful. All attacks were said to- have been repulsed and scores of dead left on the field—United Press.
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