Vietnam set for attack on Kampuchean rebels

February 7, 1983

Vietnam is building up its forces at the Thai-Kampuchean border in apparent preparation for another assault against Kampuchean rebels, Thai military sources said. And more than 20,000 Cambodian refugees stranded on the border were evacuated to safety in Thailand Saturday.

The sources said about 2,000 Vietnamese troops and several Soviet-built tanks had been observed heading toward the guerrilla-controlled area. The Vietnamese attack on the guerrillas began two weeks ago. One of the rebel leaders, Prince Norodom Sihanouk, has asked the US for help in hiring professional officers to train his forces.