Phnom Penh, April 3: Heavy fighting was reported north and north-west of Phnom Penh to-day with pro-Sihanouk forces penetrating the city’s defence lines at one point. Government troops also gave up further ground south of the encircled capital, military sources said.

Early to-day, Red Khmer artillery knocked out two Cambodian Air Force planes at the Pochentong airport here in a heavy rocket and cannon barrage. The attack lasted two hours.

A total of more than 60 Red Khmer rockets and 105 mm artillery fire fell in Phnom Penh from dawn on Wednesday till this morning, most of it at the airport, the city’s only link to the outside world.

Fighting continued on the east bank of the Mekong river upsite the capital, where the Government now holds only a 10-km stretch on the bank.

A naval base on a peninsula which lies between the Mekong and the city was under fire from 120 mm heavy mortars. The east bank is about four km from the city and well within range of the mortars, which are more accurate than the Chinese-made 107 mm rockets used until now by the Red Khmers.

Ground and shelling attacks were reported at the province towns of Kompong Speu, 40 km southwest of Phnom Penh, Batambang and Siem Reap, 240 km northwest and Kampot, 125 km southeast.

In Bangkok, the Thai Premier, Mr. Kukrit Pramoj told newsmen to-day that pro-Sihanouk forces were entering the Cambodian capital. He left a National Assembly meeting immediately after receiving the information and told reporters that he was rushing to the Government House for more details.

He did not say who gave him the information about the situation in Phnom Penh.