Battle of Korytsa

The Battle of Korytsa was fought during the Greco-Italian War of 1940–41 in the town of Korçë (Greek: Korytsa) in southern Albania between the defending Italian 9th Army and the attacking Greek III Army Corps.

Battle of Korytsa
Part of the Greco-Italian War
Greek troops in Korçë, Albania, Nov 1940
Date 16–22 November 1940 (6 days) Location Korçë, Albania Result Greek victory Italian defensive line at Korcë is broken through Defeat of the Italian 9th and 11th Army
Belligerents
Italy	Greece
Commanders and leaders
Ubaldo Soddu	Alexander Papagos
Strength
9th Army 11th Army	III Corps
Casualties and losses
Unknown killed 2,000 captured 135 field guns captured 600 machine guns captured[1]	624 killed 2,348 wounded

After the initial Italian invasion starting 28 October had been stopped, Greek forces launched a counter-offensive in early November. The battle for Korytsa formed the first part of the operation against the Italians and marked the final stage of the Greek penetration in the Battle of Morava–Ivan heights sector.

The Italian 9th Army was entrenched around the town, but fierce fighting over two days led to the break-through of the Italian defensive line by the Greeks and its capture. Remnants of the 9th Army itself avoided capture, as the opposing Greek forces were poorly motorized and unable to pursue the retreating Italians.