CAMBODIA: TROOPS FIGHT TO REGAIN CONTROL OF HIGHWAY FOUR

Record ID: 375983

  • Title: CAMBODIA: TROOPS FIGHT TO REGAIN CONTROL OF HIGHWAY FOUR
  • Date: 29th March 1971
  • Summary: 1. LS SPOTTER AIRCRAFT FROM GROUND. 0.08 2. LS TANKS AND TROOPS ON HIGHWAY FOUR. 0.11 3. MS GUNNER IN TANK FIRING GUN. 0.16 4. CS SOLDIER MARKING MAP. 0.19 5. MCS SOLDIER FIRING DELAYED LAUNCHER. 0.24 6. MS SOLDIER FIRING MORTARS. 0.30 7. LS SPOTTER AIRCRAFT FROM GROUND. 0.34 8. MS SOLDIERS FIRING MORTARS (2 SHOTS) 0.46 9. MS SOLDIER FIRING GRENADE LAUNCHER (2 SHOTS) 0.51 10. MS TANK FIRING GUN (2 SHOTS) 1.00 11. MS SOLDIER FIRING MORTAR 1.02 12. LS SOLDIER WALKING DOWN HIGHWAY. 1.10 13. MS SOLDIERS CARRYING WOUNDED COMRADE. 1.22 14. MCS SOLDIERS CARRYING WOUNDED MAN. 1.28 Initials VS/23.36 VS/0.12 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 13th April 1971 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: HIGHWAY FOUR NR. PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA
  • Country: Cambodia
  • Reuters ID: LVAARZHGLFQ4R07W884OKVN6HK1X
  • Story Text: A NORTH VIETNAMESE BATTALION HAS OCCUPIED A 10 MILE (16 KILOMETRE) STRETCH OF HIGHWAY 4, A KEY ROAD LINKING PHNOM PENH WITH CAMBODIA'S ONLY DEEP WATER PORT OF KOMPONG SOM. AND CAMBODIAN TROOPS, WITH THE HELP OF AMERICAN PHANTOM JETS, ARE MUSTERING TO BEGIN A COUNTER-ATTACK.

    WHILE SHOOTING THIS FILM, VISNEWS CAMERAMAN YOSEP LEE, WAS HIT IN THE LEFT HAND BY A NORTH VIETNAMESE BULLET. HE HAD VENTURED 220 YARDS (200 METRES) INTO THE DENSE ROADSIDE BUSH. ONLY LAST NOVEMBER YOSEP WAS CAPTURED BY NORTH VIETNAMESE WHILE FILMING ALONG HIGHWAY 7. HE WAS HELD FOR A MONTH BEFORE BEING RELEASED.

    SYNOPSIS: AMERICAN SPOTTERS AND PHANTOM JETS ARE BACKING CAMBODIAN TROOPS ATTEMPTING TO REGAIN CONTROL OF HIGHWAY FOUR. 10 MILES OF THE HIGHWAY, .A KEY ROAD LINKING PHNOM PENH WITH CAMBODIA'S ONLY DEEP WATER PORT OF KOMPONG SOM... ARE OCCUPIED BY NORTH VIETNAMESE TROOPS.

    THE GOVERNMENT TROOPS ARE REPORTED TO BE HOLDING ONLY ONE BRIDGE ON THE STRETCH OF HIGHWAY 4 BETWEEN THE CROSSROADS LEADING TO THE KIRIROM MOUNTAIN RESORT AND THE OPENING OF THE STRATEGIC PICH NIL PASS.

    THE NORTH VIETNAMESE BEGAN A SERIES OF ATTACKS LAST WEEK. THE ??? AIM WAS TO CAPTURE A CONVOY OF 14 AMMUNITION LORRIES HEADING SOUTH WEST ALONG THE HIGHWAY TO SUPPLY THE CAMBODIAN GARRISON AT KOMPONG SEILA, PAST THE PICH NIL PASS. ONLY ONE LORRY REACHED THE GARRISON. THE OTHER 13 LORRY LOADS WERE CAPTURED BY THE NORTH VIETNAMESE.

    CAMBODIAN BATTALIONS ARE ADVANCING UNDER THE COVER OF A HEAVY ARTILLERY BARRAGE. IN THE LAST THREE DAYS, 17 OF THE CAMBODIAN TROOPS HAVE BEEN KILLED AND 80 WOUNDED, A COMPANY COMMANDER SAID. MOST OF THE DEATHS OCCURRED WHEN THEY OVERRUN A NORTH VIETNAMESE BUNKER COMPLEX. TWO CAMERAMEN WERE ALSO INJURED.

    WHILE THE WOUNDED ARE TAKEN BACK FOR TREATMENT, MORE TROOP REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE CONTINUALLY. A CONCERTED DRIVE TO DISLODGE THE COMMUNISTS IS EXPECTED. IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME. THE HIGHWAY WAS CUT BY VIET CONG FORCES FOR TWO MONTHS UNTIL THE END OF JANUARY.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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