LAOS: GOVERNMENT AIR-STRIKES LAUNCHED AGAINST COMMUNIST FORCES MASSING NEAR LAOTIAN CAPITAL.

Record ID: 342089

  • Title: LAOS: GOVERNMENT AIR-STRIKES LAUNCHED AGAINST COMMUNIST FORCES MASSING NEAR LAOTIAN CAPITAL.
  • Date: 7th September 1969
  • Summary: 1. GV MEKONG RIVER 0.08 2. LV T-28 FIGHTER BOMBER FLYING OVER AREA 0.13 3. LV THREE FIGHTER BOMBERS FLYING OVER 0.20 4. SV PEOPLE AT CUSTOMS SHED PAN TO PEOPLE BY RIVER 0.30 5. LV PEOPLE ENTERING PALACE 0.37 6. SV GUARD RESTING AGAINST WALL 0.38 7. SV GUARD STROLLING OUT OF PALACE, RIFLE ON SHOULDER 0.49 8. LV PEOPLE IN MARKET WITH GIRLS DRESSED IN BLACK OF THE MEO TRIBE 1.03 9. LV PEOPLE IN MARKET AND GIRLS OF MEO TRIBE LOOKING (2 SHOTS) 1.10 10. CU WOMEN BUYING VEGETABLES 1.13 11. LV PEOPLE IN MARKET 1.16 Initials AH/V/AS/MH Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 22nd September 1969 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LUANG PRABANG, LAOS
  • Country: Laos
  • Reuters ID: LVAO20DU41WKK9J5P4E6BHZGOX7
  • Story Text: FLYING AMERICAN-BUILT TRAINING AIRCRAFT -- CONVERTED INTO FIGHTER BOMBERS -- LAO AIR FORCE PILOTS DURING THE LAST TWO MONTHS HAVE BEEN LAUNCHING DAILY AIR-STRIKES AGAINST A BIG PATHET LAO CONCENTRATION OF FORCES NEAR THE CAPITAL OF LUANG PRABANG. THE COMMUNISTS GUERRILLAS HOLD POSITIONS IN THE HILLS ABOUT 20 MILES (32 KMS) NORTH-EAST OF THE ROYAL CAPITAL.

    CONSTANT SORTIES BY THE OLD T-28 PISTON-ENGINED FIGHTER-BOMBERS, THE ONLY STRIKE AIRCRAFT FLOWN BY THE LAO. AIR FORCE, HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED TO BREAK UP FORCES OF 2,000 WELL-EQUIPPED PATHET LAO TROOPS MASSED IN THE JUNGLE ALONG THE NAM OU RIVER, WHICH FLOWS DOWN TO JOIN THE MEKONG RIVER ABOVE LUANG PRABANG.

    THE COMMUNISTS GUERRILLAS HAVE BEEN REINFORCED BY ABOUT 1,500 NORTH VIETNAMESE.

    THE AREA COMMANDER, GENERAL TIAO SINYAVONG, CLAIMED THAT DAILY BOMBING HAD SUCCEEDED IN SCATTERING THE COMMUNISTS, AND THAT GOVERNMENT FORCES, THROUGH OUTNUMBERED, WERE SURROUNDING THE ENEMY.

    GOVERNMENT STRATEGIES HAVE BEEN PUZZLED BY THE BUILD-UP OF PATHET LAO AND NORTH VIETNAMESE TROOPS DURING THE NORMALLY PEACEFUL MONSOON SEASON.

    THE COMMUNIST PLAN SEEMS TO BE AN ATTEMPT TO ISOLATE THE ROYAL CAPITAL, WHICH HAS SO FAR BEEN LEFT UNTOUCHED DURING SEVEN YEARS OF FIGHTING.

    THIS INDICATES THE INVIOLABLE POSITION OF THE KING SRI SAVANG VATTHANA, WHO IS REVEREND BY THE PEASANTS, FORMING THE BULK OF THE POPULATION, AND IS THE ONLY NATIONAL FIGURE ACCEPTED BY THE RIGHTISTS, NEUTRALISTS AND COMMUNISTS ALIKE.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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