Tokyo, May 23.
Heavy fighting is raging in the western section of the Outer Mongolian and Manchoukuo border near Nomonhan, Japanese reports from Changchun said today.
A dozen Mongolian planes, including light bombers and fighters, swept Manchoukuo positions with furious bursts of machine-gun fire yesterday, the Japanese reports asserted.
Manchukuo aeroplanes imfnediately took to the air and in a counterattack succeeded in shooting down three of the Mongolian planes. The Mongolian planes were shot down within Manchoukuo territory, the Japanese reports claimed.
Aerial warfare has broken out on a fairly large scale and latest Japanese reports reaching here revealed that air battles were staged today. No details regarding today's air battles were revealed, however, in the Japanese reports, Fighting first broke out in the area three days ago. Mongolian cavalry attempted to attack Manchoukuo positions on May 20 but was repulsed, and heavy fighting followed the two successive days, with the Manchoukuo troops checking the invaders in all drives, Japanese reports said.
Although a total of seven Mongolian planes was brought down since the fighting first broke out three days ago, the Japanese reports failed io state what losses were suffered by the Manchoukuo troops.
Heavy reinforcements of Manchoukuo infantry and aerial units have been rushed to the scene of the fighting—United Press.
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