LANG VEI (South Viet-Nam): Two jets killed an estimated 105 villagers and wounded 175 in a 25-minute bombing and strafing attack on this tribal village last night [March 2], an American special forces officer said here today.

The two dark-coloured Delta-Wing jets have not yet been identified, but a military spokesman in Saigon said the attack was a case of accidental bombing.

The smell of burned human flesh hung over the ruined village today, as many of the 2,000 tribesmen, who live here still huddled in bunkers, are afraid to come out into the open.

Captain John J. Duffy, who is in charge of a special forces detachment, stationed 50 yards (45 metres) from the village, said that at first he thought the jets were friendly.

“I saw what looked like fuel streaming from the leading one. Then there was a series of explosions and I realised they were firing cannons,” he said.

Each of the jets made three passes at the village, which lies near the North Viet-Namese and Laotian borders, dropping at least two heavy bombs and turning Lang Vei into an inferno of flames and smoke.

The Captain said the jets approached over the mountains from Laos. “It appears the special forces’ compound was the target, but they overshot and hit the village, Some bombs fell within our perimeter,” he added.

[Meanwhile, as reported by agencies,] the next conference of Inter-Parliamentary Union will be held in Moscow in the later part of the year, the Speaker of National Assembly, Mr Abdul Jabbar Khan, said here today [March 3].

Talking to APP the Speaker, who is Chairman of Pakistan unit, added that the conference would elect the next President of the Union as the former one has tendered his resignation.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2017