February 9, 1990

Associated Press

CHRISTIANS TRADE SNIPER FIRE

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Rival Christian forces ignored a truce and traded heavy sniper fire in east Beirut today as hundreds of civilians scrambled to safety outside the Christian sector.

Police said rescuers evacuated the bulletriddled corpses of 42 victims from east Beirut districts, where most of the savage fighting took place between soldiers of Gen. Michel Aoun and Samir Geagea's Lebanese Forces militiamen.

Those victims raised the toll, by police count, to 415 killed and 1,680 wounded in the worst intra-Christian conflict of the 15-year-old civil war. The fighting began Jan. 30.

-END QUOTE-