Romanian forces still remained in the region, however. On 19 September, the Romanian front extended from Petrozsény to Mount Tulisini (Tulișa). On 20 September, the Viennese newspaper "Neue Freie Presse" read: "As far as one can say at present the Rumanians generally fight very well. Reports have reached us from the Hatszeg sector about Romanian units which, having lost half their effectives, still continued the battle. Similar facts have been observed in other sectors." That same day, the Romanian forces evacuated Petrozsény. On 21 September, a Berlin dispatch announced that the Vulcan Pass was taken by German forces. However, on the following day, the Romanian units were still fighting at this point. On 22 September, two German battalions stormed the Vulcan Pass. In taking the Vulcan Pass, the Germans also captured 526 Romanian prisoners. On 19 September, Brigadier-General Ioan Muică's 11th Division abandoned the Szurdok Pass, retreating to Bumbești, back across the border. Apparently, this action was not part of the plan of Muică's superior, General Ioan Culcer. This is evidenced by the fact that, during the 11th Division's successful counterattack launched on 25 September, it was Culcer himself who directed operations. The relieved Muică was ultimately replaced by General . The three divisions of the 9th Army concentrating at Szászsebes (Sebeș/Mühlbach) could be enveloped by the Romanian forces from the region of the two mountain passes, and – according to German planning – this was the possibility to be dealt with first. Thus, even though the Romanian Army succeeded in recovering the Szurdok and Vulcan passes on 25 September, these had lost some of their importance by then. Despite being driven back to Merisor, the Central Powers had achieved their main strategic purpose, neutralizing the Romanian forces in the region while their own forces were engaged elsewhere.