Fresh assault on Thuong Duc

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33600, 31 July 1974, Page 15

Fresh assault on Thuong Duc

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) SAIGON, July 30. Communist forces poured thousands of shells into Thuong Due, a town in the north central region of South Vietnam today, following up with ground attacks on the town and surrounding Government posts.

Five of seven such posts hit yesterday were still out of contact this morning The five are said to have been manned by about 100 troops. The ground assaults on the town of Thuong Due were repulsed, although the fierce shelling destroyed the police station North Vietnamese troops are said to have moved towards Thuong Due from the battered district capital of Due Due, the scene of bitter battles over the last fortnight in which at least 1100 Communists are reported to have been killed. Government military sources believe that the Communists are moving towards Thuong Due to cut the highway that goes through it, and thus to deny Government help to isolated outposts in the mountains

west of the town. Those outposts are on approaches to areas of Communist strength in the jungled and mountain terrain there. Viet Cong sources in Saigon have emphasised tha' the South Vietnamese Gov emment must accept the existence of separate Viet Cong zones in the country to implement the peac< accord. The strength of the Com munist force harassing Thuong Due is estimated to be of regimental size, or more than 2000 men. The Military High Command in Saigon says that some of its aircraft yesterday destroyed an entire con voy of 50 trucks west of Due Due apparently bringing sup plies down from Communis’ base areas in the mountain to the west.