KIRI ROM RETAKEN

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32352, 18 July 1970, Page 13

KIRI ROM RETAKEN

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) PHNOM PENH (Cambodia), July 17. After six days of fighting Communist troops have withdrawn from the Cambodian hill resort of Kiri Rom, burning Prince Norodom Sihanouk’s summer home and other buildings as they left.

A Cambodian military spokesman said today that Viet Cong and North Vietnamese soldiers left the little town yesterday, and Cambodian Army troops immediately occupied it. Casualties in the fighting for the wooded hilltop were described by the spokesman as fairly heavy. The destruction of Prince Sihanouk’s villa by the Communists came as a surprise: the Cambodians had refrained from bombing it, even though it was being used as a Communist command post Other buildings burned included the local military camp headquarters. What has become of the Communist troops who captured Kiri Rom and held it

.against several Cambodian assaults is not clear.

I The indications are that I they withdrew westwards ■ along the Cardamom Mountain chain, which has been under the control of Communist forces for many months. The Cambodian spokesman reported that fighting began yesterday, and was continuing early today, at Long Vek, a Cambodian Army base 18 miles north-north-west of Phnom Penh. About 300 Compiunist reinforcements are said to have moved into the area. To the south-east of the capital, a bridge was destroyed by Communist forces near the provincial capital of Evakeo, but traffic has continued to move on Highway No. 3. More than five Cambodian battalions, including some Cambodian troops who were trained by Americans in Viet nam, are pitted against a Communist force of 1000 on the jungled slopes which overlook Highway No. 4 between Phnom Penh and Kompong Som, the nation’s main port. THAI CASUALTIES According to reports reaching Bangkok today, one Thai policeman has been killed, eight have been wounded and three are missing after two separate clashes with Viet Cong forces in Cambodian territory. The reports, originating In the border province of Sisaket, 250 miles north-east of Bangkok, say that the Thais had been working with Cambodian forces.