London, May 3.
Commentators today continued speculating whether the French Vice-Premier, Admiral Francois Darlan, may have yielded air bases in Syria to Germany in a secret pact, enabling the Luftwaffe to swarm to Iraq to help Rashid Ah Al-Gailani, whose hard-pressed forces were reported to be on the verge of losing their first major clash in the battle for oil.
Commentators in the newspapers wondered also whether Admiral cantonment, according to a communique issued here.
The Royal Air Force is continu. ously attacking the rebel lines and during the engagement on Tuesday rendered continuous close support bombing and machine-gunning the enemy and subsequently keeping them on the move during their withdrawal towards Falluja, The rebel casualties were very heavy, while those of the British forces were negligible. Over 300 Iraqi prisoners were captured.
Darlan would allow German troops passage through Syria—United Press.
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