Fress fighting flares on Cambodian border

Fress fighting flares on Cambodian border

SAMRONG, Cambodia (Agencies): Morale among resistance fighters was reportedly wavering yesterday as troops loyal to Cambodian leader Hun Sen renewed assaults against their positions.

An official close to Prince Norodom Ranariddh, deposed as co- prime minister by Hun Sen in a bloody takeover in July, said by telephone that the outnumbered fighters were growing pessimistic.

They were unsure how much longer they could hold their heavily mined stronghold at O'Smach, a village on the border with Thailand that is their last main base, the official said on condition of anonymity.

But Gen. Khan Savoeun, the main resistance commander at O'Smach, vowed in a separate telephone interview to hold it.

"We are doing the best by all means we have to stay in this position," Khan Savoeun said. "We cannot trust Hun Sen. He talks about security for holding the elections, but he instead sends troops to attack us."

Hun Sen launched a major offensive Monday, marking the end of months of relative quiet during the monsoon season, when fighting becomes impossible.

The resistance forces, who have dug in and reinforced their positions during the rainy months, destroyed two of eight tanks sent against them on the first day.

Hundreds of artillery and mortar rounds have been exchanged, with several straying into Thailand. The Thais have fired shells back at the Cambodians as a warning to adjust their aim.

Khan Savoeun claimed that he was counterattacking the rear of Hun Sen's positions to ease pressure on O'Smach. The general said he had 1,000 troops at his disposal, but the Thais put the figure closer to 300.

Villagers in Hun Sen's staging areas have reported that thousands of soldiers have arrived by truck and helicopter over the past week.

However, two hundred and thirty-six Cambodian army soldiers along the northern battle front have defected to resistance forces backing deposed co-Premier Prince Norodom Ranariddh, a senior military official said yesterday.

Gen. Chea Saran, chief of military operations, said his soldiers changed sides after the Cambodian army launched a new offensive Monday against the resistance's last major stronghold of O'Smach near the Thai border.

"Soldiers of (the Cambodian army) Divisions 3 and 9 in Oddar Meanchey province split and joined the resistance," he said.

"About 236 of them, led by a commander named Huot."

Meanwhile, Cambodia's leading dissident Sam Rainsy was heading for resistance camps along the Thai border armed with a cease- fire proposal, hinting he had won Bangkok's support for the plan.