N999  1142  23 Mar 75
...
 
NY
A024
R XCZCBYLUIV
1ST ADD AIRLIFT-PHNOM PENH XXX APRIL 30.
 FOR WEEKS NOW THE KHMER ROUGE TROOPS HAVE BEEN 
BOMBARDING THE AIRPORT WITH 107 MILLIMETER ROCKETS,
BUT ONLY RECENTLY HAVE THEY BEGUN TO PINPOINT WITH ANY 
ACCURACY THE CRITICAL MILITARY SIDE OF THE AIRFIELD 
WHERE THE SUPPLY AIRLIFT IS TAKING PLACE.
 THE CIVILIAN SIDE OF THE FIELD IS STILL FUNCTIONING
INTERMITTANTLY WITH AIR CAMBODIA, THE GOVERNMENT'S
INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE, STILL FLYING A SPORADIC
SCHEDULE AND MOST DOMESTIC LINES WITHIN THE COUNTRY
STILL OPERATING DESPITE THE ROCKET ATTACKS WHICH
SEEM TO HAVE SHIFTED THEIR FOCUS LARGELY TO THE MILITARY
AREA.
 SUNDAY, FOR EXAMPLE, ROCKETS FELL ON POCHENTONG AIRPORT,
MOST OF THEM TIGHTLY SPACED AROUND THE MILITARY SIDE OF 
THE FIELD.
 CAMBODIAN GOVERNMENT TROOPS HAVE MADE REPEATED EFFORTS
OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS TO KNOCK OUT THE ROCKET 
POSITIONS WHICH ARE HEAVILY DUG-IN IN STANDS OF BAMBOO
ALONG THE PREK OKHSACH RIVER NORTHEAST OF TUOL LEAP.
THEY HAVE HOWEVER, MET SUBBORN RESISTANCE AND AT ONE
POINT LOST THE TOWN OF TUOL LEAP ITSELF, ALLOWING THE
INSURGENT GUNNERS TO MOVE IN EVEN CLOSER TO THE AIRFIELD.
 SUNDAY, NUMEROUS FLIGHTS OF T-28 FIGHTERS TOOK OFF FROM
POCHENTONG AIRPORT TO BOMB THESE ROCKET POSITIONS, BUT
WITH LITTLE APPARENT EFFECT.
 LAST WEEK, ONE WESTERN MILITARY OBSERVER EXPLAINED THAT
ONE KEY PROBLEM WITH THE AERIAL BOMBARDMENT OF THESE
POSITIONS IS THAT THE CAMBODIAN A
AIRFORCE PILOTS REFUSE TO FLY LOW ENOUGH TO PINPOINT 
WITH ANY ACCURACY WHERE THEIR BOMBS FALL. THAT, 
COMBINED WITH THE DENSENESS OF THE BAMBOO STANDS AND THE
BUNKERS THE KHMER ROUGE HAVE CONSTRUCTED MAKES EFFECTIVE
AERIAL ATTACK VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE.
 THE NEWS FROM THE OTHER MILITARY FRONTS AROUND THE 
CAPITAL WAS EQUALLY GRIM SUNDAY.
 SOME GOVERNMENT UNITS ARE STILL REPORTED ENCIRCLED ON THE 
EAST BANK OF THE MEKONG RIVER, OPPOSITE PHNOM PENH, 
ACCORDING TO WESTERN MILITARY OBSERVERS, ALTHOUGH THE
MAIN KHMER ROUGE POSITIONS HAVE BEEN PUSHED BACK MORE 
THAN A MILE FROM THE RIVER BANK.
 GOVERNMENT FORCES WERE ALSO REPORTED UNDER INCREASING
PRESSURE AT OTHER SCATTERED GOVERNMENT ENCLAVES AROUND
THE COUNTRY. STEADY MORTAR AND GROUND ATTACKS BY KHMER
ROUGE TROOPS WERE BEING REPORTED, ACCORDING TO WESTERN 
MILITARY SOURCES, AGAINST THE PROVINCIAL CAPITALS OF
KOMPONG CHAM, KAMPOT, SIEM REAP AND BATTAMBANG.
 NEAK LUONG, THE KEY MEKONG RIVER TOWN 38 MILES SOUTH
OF PHNOM PENH CONTINUED, HOWEVER TO HOLD OUT ALTHOUGH 
THE FIERCE ARTILLERY BARRAGES BY INSURGENT FORCES 
POURED IN.
 
Z-EG-323
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