At least thirteen Khmer Republic soldiers were killed on Sunday (2 September 1973) and five armoured troop carriers were destroyed as troops attempted to reopen Highway Four, West of Phnom Penh. A military spokesman said guerrillas, who had captured a (3,000 metro) stretch of the highway three days earlier, launched rockets at the carriers as they tried to sweep the road clear. The fighting took place near Ang Snoul, in an area about 20 miles (32 kilometres) from Phnom Penh.

Highway Four is the sole link between the capital and the country's only deep sea port, Kompong Som. The area of Sunday's fighting was reported still to be under guerrilla control two days later (4 September). Phnom Penh has had no convoys for a week.

Elsewhere, Communist-led insurgents continued their heavy assault on Kompong Cham, the country's third-largest city. They have succeeded in cutting off the airport, though it remains in Government hands.