Communist missiles reported in Zone

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32566, 27 March 1971, Page 19

Communist missiles reported in Zone

(N.Z, Press Association-Copyright) SAIGON, March 26. North Vietnam has increased her military activity in the Demilitarised Zone by 50 per cent this month, and is moving longrange artillery and surface-to-air missiles into the region, according to United States military sources.

Hanoi was running the risk of a new series of air attacks in retaliation, the sources said.

South Vietnamese headquarters have reported that Russian-made 152 mm. artillery, with a range of 16 miles, opened fire from the Demilitarised Zone on one of their bases at Dong Ha, 11 miles south of the zone. Forty shells hit the base, causing several South Vietnamese casualties.

It was the first reported artillery attack across the zone for several months. In March the sightings of enemy activity in the Demilitarised Zone increased 80 per cent in February, said one American source. Ninety per cent of the sightings were in the eastern naif of the 40-mile long zone. About 50 per cent of the sightings were in South Vietnam's half of the six-mile wide zone, and the other half were in North Vietnam’s sector.

Earlier, in Washington, the United States Defence Department reported that North Vietnam had moved men and artillery units into the Demilitarised Zone separating North and South Vietnam. Missile equipment Sources said that American reconnaissance planes had detected the movement of antiaircraft missile equipment towards' the six-mile wide zone. The equipment included vans, trailer-trucks and radar systems.

Reconnaissance had not detected any missile launching pads being built, the sources added. However, the missiles are portable and can be set up on roads in a relatively short period. Heavy air strikes against North Vietnamese antiaircraft missile sites and anti-

aircraft gun positions were carried out on Sunday and Monday.

Americans killed Meanwhile North Vietnamese troops chasing the Saigon forces retreating from Laos into South Vietnam have clashed twice with

American forces near Khe Sanh and eight American soldiers have been killed. A United States military spokesman said that five Americans were killed and one wounded when an American unit was attacked yesterday by North Vietnamese troops six miles north of Khe Sanh. In a second clash at dusk, United States forces nine miles west of Cam Lo, inside South Vietnam, lost three men killed, six wounded, and had an armoured personnel carrier destroyed in a North Vietnamese assault.

“Humiliating retreat”

And in Washington, Senator Edward Kennedy said yesterday that the United States-backed South Vietnamese operation in Laos was ending in what could only be called a humiliating retreat, and added: “America is coming out of Laos on the skids.” “The time to end the war is now, and we must carry that message to every comer of the land,” he said. The operation in Laos was carried out in violation of the spirit of legislation passed by Congress, he added. “Now, it has ended in what can only be called humiliating retreat, and the more clearly so because the retreat is so clearly premature and so obviously in panic.”