1.
GV Troops advancing along road.
0.03

2.
SV & CU Vietcong dead
0.10

3.
Sv Troops entrenched along road.
0.13

4.
SV Soldier fires bazooka
0.16

5.
LV Smoke
0.20

6.
SV Mortar fired again
0.23

7.
GV PAN Phantom aircraft strafing enemy positions.
0.32

8.
GV Other aircraft strafing ( 3 shots)
0.45

9.
GV Troops watching
0.48

10.
GV Cannon fired.
0.53

11.
LV & SV Troops advance across river.
1.01

12.
SV Soldier entering shattered building complex
1.06

13.
SV & CU Troops and dead Viet Cong.
1.12

14.
Soldier finds bunker
1.17

15.
SV Soldier removes Viet Cong body.
1.22

16.
SV Crying woman TILT to bodies under blanket.
1.28

17.
GV Bodies.
1.31

18.
SV Nurse tending Viet Cong mutilated leg.
1.34

19.
LV Soldiers around ?unker.
1.38

20.
SV PAN soldiers searching around building.
1.44

21.
SV Soldier holding captured rocket launcher
1.47

22.
LV Dead Vietcong.
1.50



Initials MF/PMW/CO



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Viet Cong troops have halted the Cambodian army's first major offensive of the war by mortaring an eight-battalion task force pushing toward the provincial capital of Kampong Thom.

The five thousand strong task force set out from North of Phnom Penh on September 7 and met little opposition until reaching the outskirts of Taing Kouk, where it has now been pinned down for five days by heavy viet Cong fire and a mined bridge.

Flooding caused by monsoon rains had forced the Cambodian troops to keep to the narrow asphalt road leading to Kompong Them, 35 miles (56 Kms) south of Taing Kouk, and government troops now face heavy casualties trying to move either north or south. Eyewitnesses said the government troops apparently ran short of ammunition and had to withdraw to resupply. They said the movement of reinforcements along the exposed road leading to the village was difficult and floods made an outflanking movement impossible.

Two US spotter planes arrived on the scene on Monday (14 September). They were followed by an American phantom fighter which bombed and strafed guerrilla positions.

The last casualty count given on Monday (14 September). They were followed by an American phantom fighter which bombed and strafed guerrilla positions.

The last casualty count given on Monday (14 September) was seven communist dead for the loss of six government troops, but government casualties are now expected to be much higher.