KOSOVO: K-FOR TROOPS CLOSE BORDER

Описание: (24 Nov 2000) Albanian/Nat

K-FOR troops Friday closed the tense border between Kosovo and southern Serbia - scene of heavy fighting between ethnic Albanian militias and Serb soldiers.

In the three-mile buffer zone between central Serbia and Kosovo, two days of attacks by the independence-minded rebels have left four Serb policemen dead and 10 wounded.

Rebels also captured several border checkpoints and a main road leading from the Presevo Valley region to Kosovo.

International forces appealed for restraint on the part of Yugoslav troops, but also strongly condemned the ethnic Albanian attacks.

Speaking exclusively to the Associated press, one UCPMB militiaman, who requested anonymity, explained the group's position:

SOUNDBITE (Albanian)
"The change of the President of Serbia was their concern, for us there is no change. We have our own goal and we will reach it. They (the Serbs) have started mobilisation again and they are doing this to do ethnic cleansing and they started this by removing some Albanians from these regions."
SUPERCAPTION: UCPMB rebel

Hundreds of Serbs fled nearby villages, fearing the fighting.

Ethnic Albanians, a majority of the buffer zone's population, holed up in their houses..

The U-S Army. Lt. Col. Seth Braverman, a spokesman for the international troops said there is clear evidence that Albanian guerrillas have made unprovoked offensive attacks against Serb security forces.

SOUNDBITE (English)
"Kosovo forces observed what is seen to be an unprovoked deliberate attack by the UCPMB on Serb security forces. Of course this surrenders the safety and security environment of the area. We feel completely contained right now, there's no concern other than the fact that it is in violation of the military technical agreement UN 1244 and demand that it be stopped."
SUPERCAPTION: Lt Col Seth Braverman spokesman for US K-FOR

There are fears that the clashes could spin out of control if the Serb police fight back. Any Serb intervention in the 5-kilometer (3-mile) border zone would constitute a violation of a Kosovo peace deal and lead to tensions with NATO.

As a precaution, Braverman said, NATO-led peacekeepers closed down the only route to the Presevo Valley, on the Kosovo border.

SOUNDBITE (English)
"We increased our border security and as evidence of that we intercepted a van that was carrying a lot of munitions these consisted of rocket propelled grenades, large calibre machine guns as well as a large quantity of small arms as well."
SUPERCAPTION: Lt Col Seth Braverman spokesman for US K-FOR

The ethnic Albanian extremists are fighting for independence from Serbia. They want to unite the predominantly Albanian Presevo Valley with Kosovo.

Serbian province of Kosovo,, Yugoslavia's main republic has been under international control since last year and many Albanian residents want full independence.

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