![]() ![]() ![]() |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() Monday, April 19, 1999 Published at 02:56 GMT 03:56 UK ![]() ![]() World: Europe ![]() Belgrade ups pressure on neighbours ![]() Refugees are continuing to flee in their thousands ![]() Yugoslavia has broken diplomatic relations with Albania, accusing it of launching continuous attacks over the border and complicity in Nato raids.
During his visit General Clarke announced the imminent deployment of 24 Apache attack helicopters for use against Serb forces in Kosovo, although their arrival in Tirana has since been delayed by bad weather.
He also said large quantities of military equipment were being smuggled into Kosovo. At the same time the Yugoslav army is moving against rebellious figures in the government of Montenegro, the junior partner in the Yugoslav federation which has been trying to stay neutral in the conflict. Fierce critic
Mr Kilibarda has been accused of undermining Yugoslavia's defence and military capabilities by encouraging army reservists to dodge the draft. Officials of the Montenegrin parliamentary assembly say the military has no authority to strip Mr Kilibarda of his parliamentary immunity.
One column of refugees arriving from the city of Mitrovica in northern Kosovo told reporters they had travelled for more than 24 hours after being forced from their homes by Serb security forces. 'Leave now'
One eyewitness saw the body of a decapitated woman lying by the roadside. Another said that a Serb policeman told him, "Don't come back, leave now. Ask Bill Clinton and Tony Blair to look after you." Earlier as refugees continued to enter Albania five Kosovan refugees including three children were killed when their car hit a landmine in the no-man's land between the Serb and Albanian sides of the border. No warning
Serbian troops were also reported to have shelled a line of refugees, killing one and injuring 22 at the same border crossing at Morina.
Nearly three-quarters of a million poeple are estimated to have fled Kosovo since the crisis began in March last year. Swiss diplomats have been holding talks with officials in Belgrade to discuss ways of delivering relief supplies to all areas of Yugoslavia including people within Kosovo, not just those arriving as refugees in other countries. Issues under consideration include the safety of aid workers and freedom of movement within the country. Raids intensify Nato says the air campaign against Yugoslavia is intensifying with more than 500 missions flown in a space of 24 hours over the weekend. On Sunday night air rade sirens were again heard in Belgrade, with explosions reported in western Serbia. Serbian media reports bridges, airfields and oil installations have come under attack and Nato itself said it had also destroyed 13 military vehicles inside Kosovo. A pall of black smoke loomed over Belgrade after Nato hit three industrial plants on the outskirts of the city, but the authorities have now given assurances that the risks of pollution are limited following earlier warnings that toxic fumes could reach the centre of Belgrade. (Click here for a map showing recent Nato strikes) Grave diggers Nato said on Sunday it had aerial photographs of 43 suspected mass graves in Kosovo. Military spokesman Brigadier-General Guiseppe Marani said the alliance also had evidence that Kosovo Albanians had been forced to dig the graves of their countrymen.
The Tigers are thought to have been responsible for some of the worst cases of ethnic cleansing and mass rapes during the 1992-1995 war in neighbouring Bosnia. Their leader, Zeljho Raznatovic or 'Arkan', has been indicted for crimes against humanity by the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague.
Other top stories
(Click here to return) ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]()
![]()
![]() ![]() ![]()
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |