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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CIA-RDP79T00975A016900030001-1.pdf | 498.47 KB |
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DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Central Intelligence Bulletin
DOS, JCS reviews completed
Secret
10 August 19 70
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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)
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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(continued)
10 Aug 70
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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
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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
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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 $
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