Rebels Dined With Peacekeepers, Then Killed 3, U.N. Official Says

Khmer Rouge guerrillas shared a meal with Bulgarian U.N. peacekeepers just before rebel gunmen opened fire, killing three of the foreigners, a U.N. mission spokesman said Sunday.

The comments by the spokesman, Eric Falt, are the most complete account so far of the late Friday attack in the southern province of Kompong Speu.

Falt said the Bulgarians welcomed three of the guerrillas when they dropped by the U.N. unit and invited them to eat with the platoon of 20 peacekeepers.

Near the end of the meal, one guerrilla left the dining tent and another soon followed. The second man returned with 10 armed guerrillas and began to act in a threatening manner, Falt said.

The Bulgarians’ leader ordered his soldiers to get their weapons outside the tent. But just after they left, the guerrillas fired on the six Bulgarians still inside, Falt said.

Three were killed and three others were seriously wounded.

It was the sixth assault on U.N. personnel in a week. A peacekeeping soldier and a staff member--both from Bangladesh--died in the earlier attacks.

At a meeting Sunday between U.N. officials and Cambodia’s four main factions, Khmer Rouge leader Khieu Samphan denied responsibility for attacks on U.N. forces.