Laotian Base Recaptured

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32252, 21 March 1970, Page 11

Laotian Base Recaptured

(N.Z Press Assn.—Copyright) VIENTIANE, March 20.

The Laotian Government said today that its troops had driven North Vietnamese attackers out of the United States support base at Sam Thong at a loss of 20 men killed and at least 100 wounded, United Press International reported.

Colonel Thongpahn Knocksy, the Defence Ministry spokesman, made the announcement as Government officials awaited the arrival expected today of a Pathet Lao official carrying the guerrillas’ peace plan. He said the Government was rushing reinforcements into the area round Sam ; Thong and Long Cheng, twin I American bases six miles I apart in the hilly region 75 miles north-east of Vientiane. ) The long-range rockets i slammed into Long Cheng, headquarters of General Vang

Pao’s American - supported clandestine army during the night, but no casualties or damage was reported. Colonel Thongpahn said General Pao’s men were in control of the Sam Thong base, airstrip and village after two days pf fighting, with North Vietnamese troops holding out on a hill south of the runway. Colonel Thongpanh said that the defenders had been supported by air strikes but did not specify whether they had been flown by American fighter-bombers or Laotian T2B propeller-driven raiders. A large column of refugees from the Sam Thong-Long Cheng vicinity was reported closing on Ban Xon, a temporary refugee centre set up 20 miles west of the battlefield.