Demilitarised Zone Hit By Bombs

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31139, 16 August 1966, Page 15

Demilitarised Zone Hit By Bombs

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

SAIGON, August 15.

Unidentified aircraft bombed a village in the demilitarised border zone separating North and South Vietnam on Saturday, a military spokesman reported today.

The report, received from South Vietnamese Army units south of the zone, said four villagers were killed and 35 injured. An investigation was ordered by the military command. The spokesman said initial

findings indicated that there were no United States Air Force or United States Marine planes in the area at that time and United States Navy pilots are not currently flying bombing missions in the south. The bombing took place in the southern half of the zone near the coast.

FEW DETAILS The spokesman said the area was just south of the Benhai river, about one mile and a half south of the village of Xuan Hoa. The actual name of the village where the bombing took place is not known. The spokesman said that only sketchy details were available from the Vietnamese military spokesmen who reported the incident No indication of the identity of the aircraft was given. This did not rule out the possibility that the aircraft involved were South Vietnamese planes, or even

: North Vietnamese, although • no North Vietnamese aircraft : have ever been reported on : bombing missions over the ; south OTHER INCIDENTS The incident was the fourth i apparently mistaken bombing ■ last week. Last Tuesday, two United States Air Force planes, bombing in accordance with ‘ instructions from the South Vietnamese province chief, hit a village in the southern delta. This incident killed 26 people and wounded 82, who were later evacuated to the United States aid hospital at Can Tho. The second bombing took : place in the same area as the latest incident. Three Air Force planes bombed and strafed a United States Coast ; Guard cutter just south of the demilitarised zone on Thursday, killing the captain and another crewman and wounding five more.