Nicaragua says it repelled offensive by Hondurans

Nicaragua said its troops blunted an offensive by 1,200 rightist rebels backed by Honduran soldiers in the northern part of the country. It said the invading forces were being held to half a mile from the Honduran frontier, near the strategic town of Jalapa. A communique from the Honduran government denied a charge that 1,000 Honduran troops backed the rebels with artillery or entered Nicaragua. Nicaragua also protested to Costa Rica that Nicaraguan exile forces had attacked border posts on the country's southern frontier with Costa Rica.