Early life and education
General Sophea was born in Banieve village, Banieve Commune, Chhouk district, Kampot Province on 9 April 1955. Due to the civil war that ravaged the country (followed by U.S. and South Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia 1970), he joined the Cambodian Nation Front Movement Liberation as a private at age 16.
Meas studied at the local elementary school in Banieve. From 1969 to 1970, he was a student at the Chhouk High-School. Due to the civil war in Cambodia, Meas Sophea went to Vietnam to complete his studies between 1975 and 1977, receiving a diploma. He earned his bachelor's degree, Master's degree, and completed his Ph.D in Military Science at the Military Academy Institute of Da Lat, Vietnam in 2010.
Military experience
Meas Sophea led many battles during the civil war between the pro-government army and the Khmer Rouge guerrillas. Battles in which Sophea was a commander include those at: Pailin, Preah Vihear, O'Smach, Koh Kong and Battambang.
During the July 1997 coup, Meas Sophea was one of the commanders who successfully pushed back the Khmer Rouge guerrillas, and 500 fighters loyal to Prince Norodom Ranariddh, into the borders.
In 1998 he successfully commanded the last counter-attack in Anlong Veng, the last stronghold of the Khmer Rouge forces. This led to the capture of Ta Mok, a top Khmer rouge leader.
He is an honorary member of the TNI special forces Kopassus unit, where he received a Red beret in 2005.
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