The Vietnamese woman, who appeared in an iconic 1972 photo as a naked 9-year-old girl running from a napalm attack during the Vietnam War, has spoken out after Facebook temporarily banned the image last month.

Phan Thi Kim Phuc,53, told American news network CTV Kitchener that she was saddened by the people who just looked at the nudity rather than focus on the powerful message the photo conveyed.

Facebook faced outrage in September for repeatedly deleting the Pulitzer Prize-winning photo taken by Associated Press photo journalist Nick Ut on June 8, 1972.

The leading online social network said the iconic photo of the naked Vietnamese girl fleeing a napalm bombing violated its rules, but later backtracked on the decision.

Facebook has a ban on posts that contain nudity, with some exceptions, such as images of works of art and women breastfeeding, or educational content.

– TiVi Tuan-san