PHNOM PENH Shells again halt airlift

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33804, 29 March 1975, Page 15

PHNOM PENH Shells again halt airlift

PII.XOM I’I.XII. March 28. Communist forces tired a barrage of artillery and rocket tire into Phnom Penh’s airport today, halting the \nierican lifeline airlift to the besieged Cambodian capital.

Military sources were forced to suspend the civilian-piloted airlift because of intense tire soon after the first cargo aircraft of the day had managed to land with supplies of food, fuel and ammunition. at dawn. American officials say that the security situation at the airport is being carefully

Studied tn determine whether the airbft can be resumed There were 37 flights mtn Pochentong Airp->n vester day. bringing nee from South Vietnam and fuel and ammunition from Thailand. Government troops have reported gams against the Communists in tierce fighting for control of the "rocket bell" region west of the airport: the guerrilla* have been using the strafe gic swampland, which has changed hands three time* during the last month, to shell the now-battered airport. Government military commanders ordered air and (artillery strikes against insurgent targets in the region yesterday, and later reported that one of two how itzers shelling the airport had been silenced. The airlift has ne< . Phnom Penh's onlv source of supplies for 56 days, the Communists having cut off all the city's river and road I supply routes. There is also heavy fighting six miles north of the capital, where Communist forces penetra'ed defence lines near Prek Phnoeu. fore ing the Government to send in reinforcements. On the east bank of the Mekong River opposite Phnom Penh, Government marines and paratroopers pushed back a Communist I force from part of a strip of riverbank seized two days ago.

Reports from the area, [only 21 miles from the city, , say that the Communists (now hold only half the 1000 i yards of riverbank captured in the initial fighting. ; The Government today : ordered all schools to be I closed indefinitely because of I the threat of renewed rocket I attacks.

An N.Z.P.A.-Reuter report from Peking says that Prince Norodom Sihanouk an nounced today thai the So viet Union had decided to recognise his Royal Government of Khmer National I Union as the sole legal gov- ) eminent of Cambodia. ■ Prince Sihanouk is titular head of the Communist (forces besieging Phnom Penh, and is seeking to oust the present Cambodian Administration of President Lon Not.