Electron and proton acceleration in reconnecting current sheets in electron
-rich solar flares is considered. A significant three-dimensional magnetic
field is assumed in the current sheet where the particles are accelerated b
y the DC electric field. The tearing instability of a pre-flare current she
et leads to the formation of multiple singular lines of magnetic held where
the electric and magnetic fields are coaligned. Magnetized electrons are s
hown to be accelerated to a few tens of MeV before they leave the vicinity
of a singular line. The acceleration time is estimated to be less than 10(-
3) s. By contrast, much heavier protons are unmagnetized and their energy g
ain is more modest. The model explains a high electron-to-proton ratio and
the unusually intense gamma-ray continuum above 1 MeV observed in the elect
ron-rich flares.