KOSOVO: FIGHTING ERUPTS IN VILLAGE OF BUKOS (2)

(25 Feb 1999) Natural Sound Fighting has again flared around the all-Serb village of Bukos in Kosovo. Clashes in the same area earlier in the week left one Serb civilian dead and five Serb policemen wounded. Thursday’s skirmishes came in defiance of NATO and U-S warnings that the enemies hold to a ceasefire during a two-week suspension in peace talks. Fighting erupted between ethnic Albanian rebels and Yugoslav army troops deployed near Bukos, 30 kilometres (20 miles) northwest of Pristina. The army was dispatched into the area to protect remaining Serb civilians in this all-Serb village, surrounded by territory controlled by rebels of the Kosovo Liberation Army. While reinforcing their positions around the village on Thursday, the army came under a mortar attack from the rebels. Associated Press photographers witnessed army tanks and mortars returning fire near the village, where rebel forces are concentrated. Monitors with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe reported at least 15 Yugoslav tanks, two armoured personnel carriers and several mobile antiaircraft batteries amassed in the region. The O-S-C-E said the Yugoslav units were on manoeuvres and not fighting the K-L-A. But later in the day, small arms fire was heard, and a monitor in the region, who asked for anonymity, said it appeared the two sides had begun exchanging fire. Later, a regional KLA commander said the army had taken Bukos and was continuing its offensive. NATO officials have expressed concern over the fighting as well as what they call a “significant“ buildup of Yugoslav armed forces in and near Kosovo. Find out more about AP Archive: Twitter: Facebook: ​​ Instagram: You can license this story through AP Archive: