By the middle of the year, LAOS and Neutralists had begun to squabble with one another. The neutralist group was soon divided between right-leaning neutralists and left-leaning neutralists
On 12 February 1963 Kong Le's second in command, Colonel Ketsana, was assassinated. Shortly afterwards Quinim Polsena and his deputy were also assassinated. The neutralist camp was split with some going over to the Pathēt Lao. Fighting between the Pathet Lao and government troops soon resumed