Heavy fighting erupts as El Salvador Left starts ‘final offensive’

Press, 12 January 1981, Page 8

Heavy fighting erupts as El Salvador Left starts ‘final offensive’

NZPA-Reuter. San Salvador Leftist’ guerrillas launched concerted attacks. f on POhce and army units m El Salvador yesterday: and took oyer a radlo. station in , the capital to anno’ince the start of their long-heralded final offensive;:; \f-- : , • . ’ . No-casualty figures were available but, an Army spokesman reported heavy fighting in . the towns of Santa Ana and Zacatecoluca, bo th. about 65km from San Salvador., - , . The guerrillas broke-into a radio station in San Salvador and broadcast an hourlong message urging the population to rise against the authorities and to prepare for a general strike. Military sources said an Army, captain led about /U soldiers in a revolt against

the authorities in- Santa Ana. They set fire to the ammunition store of their, barracks before fleeing and joining the. guerrillas in ths ’town.

Reinforcements were . on their way to help, troops still loyal to the Government crush the rebellion, the sources said.' Gun-battles also broke out in several suburbs of San Salvador, and eye-witnesses said the Ar .y was patrolling the streets in strength. The Army said martial law and a night curfew had been imposed in Zacatecoluca and informed sources in San Salvador said the order was likely to be made nation-wide soon. An official spokesman said fighting was taking place in five other- towns. By late yesterday- there had not been

any Government announcements. ‘ Left-wing groups have said, their “final offensive” will be launched against El Salvador’s civilian military junta before. President-elect Ronald Regan takes office in nine days time< ' More than 9000 people died last year in the violence which has swept the country since the overthrow of El Salvador’s military ruler, General Carlos Humberto Romero, in October, 1979. ' , , The killing of three American nuns and a missionary in December prompted the United States Government to suspend economic and military aid to the Central American country. Only/the economic aid has been "restored.