Fighting Erupts in Salvador as Rebels Clash With Troops

Fighting broke out between leftist guerrillas and government troops in San Salvador on Wednesday night and a series of explosions were heard in several sections of the city.

Radio reports said leftist rebels of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front were attacking the main Salvadoran air force base at Ilopango. Authorities said a number of people were wounded.

Reporters heard a number of loud explosions, apparently caused by bombs in the poor neighborhood of Soyapango on the city’s east side, and in Delgado to the northeast. A Red Cross spokesman said in a telephone interview there was fighting in the city, including the southern part and that several people were wounded.

But he said he did not immediately know how many people were hurt, or have other details.

Reporters touring the streets saw army helicopters dropping flares and firing with automatic weapons at suspected guerrilla positions near the air base, a few miles east of the capital, and at other points in the city.

The armed forces press office said it had no immediate details.

“We know there have been explosions, but we don’t know where,” a military spokesman, who also insisted on anonymity, said in a telephone interview.