- Title: EGYPT: ISRAELI ARMY TAKES TOWN OF EL ARISH
- Date: 8th June 1967
- Summary: AERIAL SHOTS CAPTURED TOWN; SCENES AS ISRAELI TROOPS MOVE IN PAST ABANDONED EGYPTIAN EQUIPMENT; DAMAGED AIRSTRIP AND EGYPTIAN AIRCRAFT; ISRAELI SOLDIERS RELAXING BRIEFLY. Initials DHC/VS/BHH/JG Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 23rd June 1967 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: EL ARISH, GAZA STRIP
- Country: Egypt
- Reuters ID: LVA21NUZ1LU7SQBGH3VN2HONZI6E
- Story Text: THE EGYPTIAN TOWN OF EL ARISH HAS FALLEN TO THE ISRAELIS IN THEIR HARD MARCH SOUTH. THE TOWN, DUE SOUTH OF THE GAZA STRIP, SURRENDERED TO THE ADVANCING ISRAELI ARMY ON TUESDAY.
LATEST REPORTS SAY THE ISRAELI ARMY HAS SINCE ADVANCED WELL BEYOND EL ARISH -- THEIR TANKS WERE BOUND FOR SUEZ. BUT CAIRO PADIO TODAY CLAIMED THE EGYPTIAN AIR FORCE HAD MADE CONCERTED AND SUCCESSFUL ROCKET ATTACKS ON THE ISRAELI ARMOURED UNITS.
THE RADIO SAID THE ISRAELI FORCES SUFFERED HEAVY LOSSES IN LIFE AND EQUIPMENT. ISRAELI REPORTS HAVE NOT CORROBORATED THE REPORT.
THE PATH INTO EL ARISH YESTERDAY WAS STREWN WITH THE BODIES OF EGYPTIAN DEAD AND THEIR ABANDONED EQUIPMENT. HUNDREDS OF BOOTS WERE ALSO DISCARDED BY EGYPTIAN FORCES, AS THEY FLED BAREFOOT ACROSS THE DESERT SANDS.
CORRESPONDENTS TRAVELLING FROM GAZA TO EL ARISH SAW THE BOOTS STREWN ON EITHER SIDE OF THE ASPHALT ROAD LINKING THE TWO CITIES. ONE REPORT SAID THE SCRUBLANDS WERE DOTTED "LIKE A FLYBLOWN LAMPSHADE" WITH THE EGYPTIAN BOOTS.
THE ISRAELI TROOPS WERE ABLE TO RELAX BRIEFLY IN EL ARISH BEFORE PUSHING ON TOWARDS SUEZ. BUT IF THE REPORTED EGYPTIAN RETALIATION CONTINUES, EL ARISH MAY BECOME A DEFENSIVE POSITION FOR ISRAELI FORCES.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None