Massacre in El Salvador reported by London paper

Almost 300 peasants in El Salvador were massacred by Honduran and Salvadoran troops in a border "cleaning operation" which the two governments deny ever took place, the Sunday Times reported. The newspaper said troops herded together peasants from Las Aradas last May 14 and machine-gunned them down while soldiers from both countries shot others fleeing "in flocks" across the Sumpul River, on the border between El Salvador and Honduras. The Sunday Times said the US Embassy in Honduras first denied there was evidence to support claims of a massacre, but later said "something happened" on the Sumpul.

Meanwhile, troops backed by helicopters and armored vehicles swooped on guerrilla bases southeast of San Salvador and killed at least 50 leftists in fierce fighting, a g overnment spokesman said.