LONDON: Chaos inside Italy has increased with the German announcement of the liberation of Mussolini, according to reports from Berne reaching New York. There are indications that the country is approaching a state of civil war.

Anti-German feeling is growing throughout Northern Italy, cables Reuter’s correspondent on the Swiss-Italian frontier and Italian soldiers near Turin supported by civilians are engaged in full-scale battle with Rommel’s troops.

The Italians are feeding and sheltering British, American, South African, French, Greek and even Senegalese prisoners who have escaped from camps. Thousands of Allied soldiers can be seen on the roads trying to leave the country or join the allied forces.

Meanwhile, fierce fighting between German and Italian troops on the island of Rhodes is reported from Smyrna... The Radio France (Algiers) says that Mussolini is now on his way to Hitler’s Headquarters. It is authoritatively stated that Mussolini has never at any time been in Allied hands... Nothing indeed is known in London of the whereabouts of the ex-Italian leader.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2018