WORLD IN BRIEF : CAMBODIA : Khmer Rouge Rebels Capture Key Town

Khmer Rouge rebels captured the strategic Cambodian town of Pailin, a victory that could block the movement of government troops and supplies to nearby cities. The Khmer Rouge said in a radio broadcast that the seizure opens the door for an assault on the city of Battambang, 40 miles away, and it advised government soldiers to leave the area “in order to stay alive.” The guerrillas said they took Pailin, along the Thai border, from Cambodian troops on Sunday after a two-year offensive. Foreign Minister Siddhi Savetsila of Thailand confirmed the report and said the guerrillas also captured artillery guns, tanks and ammunition stockpiles.