CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP79T00975A016900030001-1
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
T
Document Page Count: 
13
Document Creation Date: 
December 15, 2016
Document Release Date: 
February 11, 2004
Sequence Number: 
1
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
August 10, 1970
Content Type: 
REPORT
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PDF icon CIA-RDP79T00975A016900030001-1.pdf498.47 KB
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Approved For Release 2004/03/17 :CIA-RDP79T00975A01690~~t1 25X1 DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE Central Intelligence Bulletin DOS, JCS reviews completed Secret 10 August 19 70 Approved For Release 2004/03/17 :CIA-RDP79T00975A016900030001-1 25X1 gpproved For Release 2004/03/17 :CIA-RDP79T00975A016900030001-1 Approved For Release 2004/03/17 :CIA-RDP79T00975A016900030001-1 Approved For Release 2004/'~f2DP79T00975A016900030001-1 No, 0190/70 10 August 1970 Cent~^al Intelligence Bulletin CONTENTS Cambodia: Sharp fighting flares in several areas. Page 1} South Vietnam: The Viet Cong appear to be losing ground in Tay Ninh Province. (P age 3) Arab States - Israel: The cease-fire seems to be holding, but the fe ayeen continue sporadic attacks. (Page 5) Uruguay: There are .reasons to believe the three captives have not been killed, (Page 7) Laos: Peace talks falter (Page 8) Latin America: Sea rights disagreement (Page 8) SECRET Approved For Release 2004/03/17: CIA-RDP79T00975A016900030001-1 Approved For Release 2004/03~~~~P~'R~P79T00975A016900030001-1 CAMBODIA: Curren Situation THAILAND` Pn~t~t~ __. Penh Kiriromo ? ~'~ ` ' ~11e6ir' I;sghting F~-~ c.~ '` Angtnsfom?p? Principal city (10,000 or over) Population over 125 per sq. ml. Communist-controlled area SECRET `~..1 ' ~,Saigan V .l F T' N A M Approved For Release 2004/03/17 :CIA-RDP79T00975A01690003~ 001- Approved For Release 2004/0~~~~~i~DP79T00975A016900030001-1 Cambodia: Sharp fighting flared in several areas over t e weekend. The strategic crossroads town of Skoun, some 35 miles northeast of Phnom Penh, remains in gov- ernment hands following its recapture on $ August after more than a week of enemy occupation. The town continues to receive intermittent mortar fire, however, and press reports tell of stiff fighting on its outskirts where the enemy may be regrouping far further attacks. To the east, hard-pressed government troops defending nearby Prey Totung skirmished with enemy forces near the town's defensive perimeter and came under periodic shelling attacks throughout the week- end. The Communists also launched heavy mortar fire against the airstrip at Kompong Cham city as well as against government positions at the district capital of Tonle Bet. The three-battalion Khmer Krom relief force that retook Skoun is returning to Phnom Penh to counter possible enemy moves against the capital's outer defenses, according to press reports. Cambo- dian troops reportedly beat back small-scale enemy probes against several of their garrisons north of the capital this weekend. Unconfirmed press re- ports, moreover, indicate that Cambodian marines battled enemy infiltrators about two miles from Phnom Penh late yesterday. Meanwhile, south of Phnom Penh, fresh fighting-- reportedly involving at least a battalion of Commu- nist troops--has again broken out at the district town of Saang. Few details are available on this action, however. Saang was occupied by the enemy for several days in April and last saw prolonged heavy fighting in mid-July. In the west, the city of Kompong Thom continued to receive intermittent mortar, rocket, and re- coilless rifle fire over the weekend, but no major 10 Aug 70 Central Intelligence Bulletin SECRE'T' Approved For Release 2004/03/17: CIA-RDP79T00975A016900030001-1 Approved For Release 2004/~~~~FA'~DP79T00975A016900030001-1 new enemy ground attacks developed. Cumulative government casualties in the latest round of fight- ing far control of this k:ey provincial capital stand at 88 killed and 188 wounded, Enemy losses have been placed at 282 killed, although heavy air strikes in the area may have resulted in a consider- ably higher number of enemy deaths. Elsewhere in westerr.~ Cambodia, Communist forces renewed their pressure against the provincial cap- ital Siem Reap, subjectir.-g the city's airfield and military hospital to mort:ar and automatic weapons fire; casualties and damages were light. Skirmish- ing was also reported between Cambodian Army patrols and small bands of enemy troops along key approach routes to the city. Government positions at the important crossroads town of Kralanh, northwest of Siem Reap, were also attacked by the enemy during the weekend. The government is planning to proclaim Cambo- dia a republic this fall. Lon Nol told a Saigon journalist on 5 August that such a declaration will probably be made in two months. IO Aug "70 Central lntell{genee Bulletin SF;CRET 25X1 Approved For Release 2004/03/17: CIA-RDP79T00975A016900030001-1 Approved For Release 2004/07G~I~~DP79T00975A016900030001-1 South Vietnam: The Communists appear to be losing grounc'~in Tay Ninh Province. They reportedly can no longer tax or recruit the villagers of the province as well as they once could, primarily because the overnment has im roved securit there . e ommunists can neat er move as freely aroun the province nor enter as many settlements as they did a year ago. Parts of this province, which borders Cambodia some 50 miles north of Saigon, have been major Viet Cong strongholds in past years. Most of the people in the villages now are traveling to and from the marketplace at times when allied units are in the area to protect them. Con- sequently, the Communists' take from their agricul- tural tax has been declining in recent months. Al- though the agricultural tax quota in the first three months of 1970 was more than met, the Viet Cong are reportedly speculating now that their collection for the full year will be only half of the amount col- lected in 1969. The inability of the Viet Cong to recruit as they once did has left some gaps in the ranks that they a.re apparently unable to fill with local re- cruits. The local Communists are only meeting about a third of their recruitment quotas and the quality of the newer olitical and military cadre is falling Some main force units are eing rocen own to oin district and uerrilla units , Despite these difficulties, the Communists are holding on in the province. A recent assessment by a senior US adviser states that, although allied op- erations against supply areas in Tay Ninh and Cambo- dia significantly reduced enemy capabilities in Tay 10 Aug 70 Central Intelligence Bulletin 3 SECRET Approved For Release 2004/03/17: CIA-RDP79T00975A016900030001-1 25X1 25X1 Approved For Release 2004/~RDP79T00975A016900030001-1 Ninh, the Communists still mount some effective at- tacks against pacification personnel. The older, experienced enemy cadre still seem to have faith that Communist fortunes will improve and that there ma be some olitical r ise within the year. 10 Aug 70 Central Intelligence Bulletdn 4 SECRET Approved For Release 2004/03/17: CIA-RDP 9 0097 A016900030001- Approved For Release 2004~0~/~~Vi~*RDP79T00975A016900030001-1 Arab States - Israel: The Egyptian-Israeli cease-fire along the Suez Canal appears to be hold- ing, but the fedayeen continue their sporadic at- tacks along Israel?s eastern border. Israeli Chief of Staff Bar-Lev stated that not a single shot had been fired to break the first day of the cease-fire. On 9 August, however,. Cairo complained of two violations. It claimed that Is- raeli aircraft were overflying Suez city, although the Egyptians described the flights as exploratory rather than offensive. Meanwhile, most of the fedayeen forces con- tinue to resist accepting the Egyptian-Israeli cease-fire and have mounted attacks against the eastern Israeli border to underline their position. Israel has repelled these attacks with few casual- ties, usually within the lines now held by Israeli forces. One of the fedayeen attacks was against the potash plant near Sodom, south of the Dead Sea, an area usually excluded by tacit agreement. Is- rael is very sensitive to attacks in this area and is apt to retaliate heavily if the attacks are 25X1 (continued) 10 Aug 70 Central Intelligence Bulletin SECRET Approved For Release 2004/03/17: CIA-RDP79T00975A016900030001-1 Approved For Release 2004/~~J~F~DP79T00975A016900030001-1 25X1 25X1 The Popular Democrat;ic Front for the Libera- tion of Palestine has st~-~ted that fedayeen attacks will not be limited to the Israelis but will in- clude-"the destruction of all the im erialist Amer- ican interests in the re ,ion." 10 Aug 70 Central Intelligence Bulletin SE(;R~T Approved For Release 0 - - Approved For Release 2004~~~=RDP79T00975A016900030001-1 e Uruguay: The fate of the three captives of the Tupamaro terrorists remains unknown, although there are some grounds for believing that they have not been killed. Montevideo radio stations received phone calls shortly after noon on 9 August from persons who claimed to be Tupamaros and who said that Mitrione had been executed because the government had ignored the group?s deadline for releasing all political prisoners. A later call to a radio station said that the announcement of Mitrione's death was untrue, and added that the Tupamaros would issue a communique at noon today. According to press reports, another hopeful sign for the three came when police interrogated Raul Sendic, a top Tupamaro leader. He and about 15 fol- lowers had been picked up in the intensive roundup staged by security forces attempting to locate the abducted trio. The press said Sendic told a judge that he was certain the captives were being held in three different "secure strongholds," and that police efforts to find them would be fruitless. Although Sendic denied that he had been involved in the abduc- tions, police reportedly found personal effects of all three in his house when they arrested him. Last night President Pacheco requested congress to increase further the extensive powers the executive branch already possesses in order to deal with the terrorist problem. The Brazilian Government is demonstrating in- creasing concern about the security situation in Montevideo, and is also attempting to increase pres- sure on the Uruguayan authorities to do everything possible to obtain the release of its abducted diplo- mat. On 9 August the Brazilian Embassy announced that any of its personnel and their dependents who wanted to leave could do so; an estimated ten de end- ents were evacuated to Brazil yesterday. 10 Aug 70 Central Intelligence Bulletin SECRET 25X1 Approved For Release 2004/03/17: CIA-RDP79T00975A016900030001-1 Approved For Release 20041~~~7~~]~'RDP79T00975A016900030001-1 Laos: Brief conversations on 6 August between Prime Minister Souvanna ]?houma and-the Pathet Lao emissary offer no prospects for early or meaningful peace negotiations . At i:.he same time, however, neither side shows any disposition to discontinue the exchange of views. :3ouvanna told the US amb as- sador on 7 August he had counterp:roposed that nego- tiations begin as soon a;~ possible rather than be preceded by another round of preliminary talks as su ested b Communis le Souphanouvong. Latin America: The attempt to formulate a united Latin American position on sea rights failed. on Saturday when the nine countries now claiming a 200-mile limit were unab~.e to persuade six of the 20 countries attending the Law of the Sea conference in Lima to sign a five-point declaration. The most important provision posited the right of each nation to determine the extent of its maritime sovereignty and jurisdiction according to the geographic and geologic characteristics of its coasts. Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica, Bolivia, and Paraguay refused to accept this provision, however, arguing that a 200-mile territorial limit would create chaos and overlapping claims. 10 Aug 70 Central Intelligence Bulletin $ SECRET 25X1 25X1 Approved For Release 2004/03/17: CIA-RDP79T0097 169000 - S"eC~iroved For Release 2004/03/17 :CIA-RDP79T00975A016900030001-1 Secret Approved For Release 2004/03/17 :CIA-RDP79T00975A016900030001-1