Route 20 lnterdicted in Lam Dong Province 4 Early on 12 November, an enemy force of un- known size blew up a bridge on strategic Route 20, some 25 miles east of Bao Loc, the capital of Lam Dong Province. A South Vietnamese reaction force, sent to the scene, was ambushed along the highway near the bridge site. At the same time, another enemy force attacked South Vietnamese military com- pounds at nearby Di Linh. Both of these engagements continued on 13 November and South Vietnamese and American reinforce- ments have been moved into the area. Incomplete casualty reports list 65 South Vietnamese soldiers killed, 25 wounded,and 25 missing. Two enemy soldiers have been killed thus far. Traffic between Bao Lac and Da Lat in neighboring Tuyen Duc Province has been temporarily suspended. I —l TOP RET 13 November 1967 A 3501 350 - (2) 395 D-\/ -°°$ X2) 3.5 3-5<° \//6 Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C03029764 Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 003029704 4. \-y\J,l-I\.Il.\..l-l.l. _\ ‘ 6. ‘ The recent increase in Communist military activity directed at South Vietnamese forces in this area of southern II Corps is consistent with the avowed enemy objective of destroying security forces and degrading government authority. Since last May, South Vietnamese forces have secured Route 20, denying the Viet Cong some one to two million piasters a day in tax booty. Current enemy action also draws friendly forces from southwestern Lam Dong Province, where most enemy tax collection points were located, thus allowing an opportunity for renewed collection in that area.