Somoza troops push back rebel lines in Esteli

Press, 16 April 1979, Page 9

Somoza troops push back rebel lines in Esteli

NZPA-Reuter Managua (Nicaragua! National Guard troops fought guerrillas house-to-house in the northern city of [Esteli at the week-end and 27 persons were reported to have been killed in guerrilla violence in the capital and ■ Other Nicaraguan cities. A National Guard spokesman. Colonel Aquiies Aranda Escobar, said the Guard had reduced the rebel-held sector of Esteli to a -mall area i cent red on the El Calavahio i neighbourhood, and he claimed the final pockets of ' reistance would be eltmiinated soon. Colonel Aranda Escobar [denied reports from fleeing) residents of Esteli that National Guard jets had fired] rockets into rebel positions' in the city. But he said the Guard may have used mor tars against the rebels The guard spokesman said 27 persons had been killed' when the Sandinista National Liberation Front guerJrillas attacked a police station in a poor neighbourhood in eastern Managua) 'and in sporadic guerrilla (violence in other Nicaraguan cities. He did not give details,! [however. . nil .1 . 11..11 -I.

Colonel Escobai did not give the casualty toll in F> teli. a city of 35.1HX) people the guerrillas seized .< week ago. Red Cross worker* and regugees said there were a lot ol dead and wounded in the fighting. The Guards last casualty report for Esteli last Mtm day said 77 persons ,n eluding seven Nat.imal Guardsmen, had been kiilei At nis news briefing w h reporter*. Colonel I *iobar insisted that the guerrilla i-omniainii i of EsteH Fran* cisco Rivera Quintana, also known a* Commander Riy era had been killed along with two other guerrillas by Guardsmen while the three tried to flee Esteli. Colonel Fscobat said Com-i mander Rivera * body had been identified and buried at) an ambush site for practical reasons, including health hazards. Asked when he thought the Sandinistas yvould launch a general offensive to try to overthrow President Anastasio Somoza * regime. Colonel Escobar said he felt the offensive had already begun, but the National Guard had succeeded in blunting it.