DATE=6/8/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-233497 TITLE=MEXICO / CLASH (S-CQ) BYLINE=JAMES BLEARS DATELINE=MEXICO CITY CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: A CLASH BETWEEN MEXICAN ARMY TROOPS AND LEFTIST GUERRILLAS NEAR ACAPULCO, ON MEXICO'S PACIFIC COAST (IN GUERRERO STATE), HAS LEFT 11 PEOPLE DEAD, FIVE WOUNDED, AND 21 PEOPLE UNDER ARREST. SUNDAY'S INCIDENT WAS THE FIRST MAJOR OUTBREAK OF FIGHTING BETWEEN THE ARMY AND MEMBERS OF THE POPULAR REVOLUTIONARY ARMY (E-P-R) THIS YEAR. MORE FROM JAMES BLEARS IN MEXICO CITY. TEXT: MEXICO'S DEFENSE MINISTRY SAYS SUNDAY'S CLASH OCCURRED WHEN AN ARMY ANTI-DRUG PATROL IN THE TOWN OF EL CHARCO (-- PART OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF AYUTLA --) SPOTTED THREE HEAVILY-ARMED MEN IN COMBAT UNIFORMS. THE TRIO, WHO REFUSED TO SURRENDER, OPENED FIRE ON THE TROOPS AND RETREATED INTO A SCHOOLHOUSE WHICH CONTAINED OTHER GUERRILLAS. THE COMMUNIQUE SAID NO SOLDIERS WERE WOUNDED IN THE ENSUING GUNBATTLE. IT SAID SOLDIERS SEIZED 14 AK-47 ASSAULT RIFLES AND A NINE-MILLIMETER PISTOL. THE POPULAR REVOLUTIONARY ARMY, WHICH IS NOT LINKED TO THE MORE FAMOUS CHIAPAS-BASED ZAPATISTA GUERRILLA GROUP, FIRST APPEARED IN JUNE OF 1996. THE GUERRILLAS SAY THEY ARE FIGHTING FOR POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR MEXICO'S POOR. (SIGNED) NEB/JB/WFR/WTW 08-Jun-98 2:37 AM EDT (0637 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
