20 reported slain in Iran guerrilla-Army clash

Twenty people were killed and as many injured in fighting between government forces and Kurdish guerrillas around the northwestern village of Qalatan Wednesday, Kurdish sources said Thursday. Sources in the autonomy-seeking Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) and left-wing Komaleh guerrilla movements told Reuters the dead included 17 villagers and three Kurdish guerrillas.

They alleged that Army units surrounded the village and opened fire on local residents trying to break the encirclement. There were no reports of Army casualties.