 On 28 April, elements of the PAVN 2nd Division received a message which stated that "scouts" were ready to cause confusion and disruption in the allies' defense of Khâm Đức.The Montagnards were placed outside the camp's perimeter, where they roamed freely inside the Marines' area in the days before and after the arrival of the howitzers.On 9 May, the Montagnards departed, to return to Khâm Đức, but shortly afterwards they returned to Ngok Tavak, claiming they had been ambushed by an unknown enemy unit.