News In Brief

Peruvian antiterror troops accused of rights abuses

Peru's antiterrorist soldiers, many of them trained by the US military advisers, are being accused of serious human rights abuses in their battle against Maoist Shining Path guerrillas. An average of 11 people a day were killed by government troops or rebels in the first three weeks of August. According to relatives, about 150 more ''disappeared.''

The alleged human rights abuses are causing deep resentment among the region's peasants. Shining Path hopes to use this resentment in its campaign to destabilize Peru's 49-month-old democracy.

President Fernando Belaunde Terry has vowed his antiterrorist campaign will ''pacify'' Peru in time for presidential elections next April.