MACEDONIA: CLASHES BETWEEN ETHNIC ALBANIAN REBELS AND MACEDONIAN FORCES ARE CONTINUING NEAR SKOPJE

Record ID: 566156

  • Title: MACEDONIA: CLASHES BETWEEN ETHNIC ALBANIAN REBELS AND MACEDONIAN FORCES ARE CONTINUING NEAR SKOPJE
  • Date: 12th August 2001
  • Summary: (W4) NEAR LJUBOTEN, MACEDONIA (AUGUST 12, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV VARIOUS OF SMOKE RISING FROM HILLS NEAR LJUBOTEN, NEAR SKOPJE (4 SHOTS) 0.38 (W5) LJUBOTEN, MACEDONIA (AUGUST 12, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 2. GV OF SMOKE RISING FROM FIRES IN LJUBOTEN 0.44 3. GV BURNING HOUSE IN LANDSCAPE 0.53 4. GV SMOKE RISING ON HILL 0.59 5. LV ARMOURED VEHICLES MOVING ALONG ROAD 1.10 6. LV SUKHOI-25 JET FLYING OVERHEAD 1.15 7. LV MACEDONIAN PEOPLE ON GROUND WATCHING 1.18 8. LV HELICOPTER (2 SHOTS) 1.32 SKOPJE, MACEDONIA (AUGUST 12, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 9. SLV CORNER SHOP 1.36 10. SLV MACEDONIAN SOLDIERS WITH GUNS SITTING ON BENCH 1.39 11. SOUNDBITE (Macedonian) UNIDENTIFIED MAN SAYING: "We hope the peace deal can be signed , it will be the best thing for this country." 1.46 12. SLV BUS STATION 1.51 13. MCU (Macedonian) UNIDENTIFIED TRAVELLER SAYING: "We hope that they are going to sign it, I hope it will be fine, that's what I hope for." 1.58 (W5) KONDOVO, JUST OUTSIDE SKOPJE, MACEDONIA (AUGUST 12, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 14. LAS OF MOSQUE 2.01 15. SLV CHILDREN SITTING OUTSIDE MOSQUE 2.04 16. LV PEOPELE WALKING IN STREET 2.09 17. LV PLANE PASSING BY 2.14 18. SLV/MCU VARIOUS OF ALBANIANS STANDING IN STREET, TALKING (2 SHOTS) 2.23 19. LV HELICOPTER 2.27 20. SV MEN IN GROUP GREETING MECKI MEXHAIT, WHO HAS JUST ARRIVED FOR A WEDDING 2.36 21. MCU (English) MECKI MEXHAIT, 31, SAYING: "I am very worried about the situation, because, you know, when one is married too - I want to be happy but in this situation now - hard to say - cannot be very happy now, because the kids - they are very scared - everybody the APCs coming over this way, this way. I don't know what is going to happen to us." 2.55 22. SLV CARS DRIVING ALONG ROAD IN ETHNIC ALBANIAN VILLAGE OF KONDOVO 3.00 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 27th August 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LJUBOTEN, SKOPJE AND KONDOVO
  • Country: Macedonia
  • Reuters ID: LVA5F4H6YAN7JM0GXFYU31VS11ET
  • Story Text: Clashes between ethnic Albanian rebels and Macedonian
    forces are continuing near the Macedonian capital of Skopje as
    government jets and helicopters fly over the the outskirts of
    the city. Despite the appearance of war, some residents of the the
    city said they believe a agreement set to be signed on Monday
    could restore peace to the country.

    But some ethnic Albanians are less optimistic.



    Fighting between Macedonian security forces and ethnic
    Albanian guerrillas moved closer to the capital on Sunday
    (August 12) , amid concern that the planned signing of a peace
    deal on Monday may not take place.

    An army source said rebels attacked the police station in
    the mainly Macedonian village of Ljubanci, about five km
    (three miles) from the outskirts of Skopje, during the
    morning.

    From Skopje fires could be seen on the hills around
    Ljubanci and the nearby village of Ljuboten which has a mixed
    population ethnic Albanians and Macedonians.

    Eight Macedonian soldiers died in mine explosions, blamed
    by the government on the rebels, in the area on Friday.

    Huge plumes of smoke billowed up around the Orthodox
    monastery of St Nikola in the village.

    Fierce fighting over the past few days has cast doubt over
    the chances of success for an agreement between the main
    parties representing ethnic Albanians and Macedonians to be
    signed on Monday.

    The deal aims to pave the way for an end to a six-month
    ethnic Albanian insurgency by granting greater rights to the
    one-third minority.

    Despite the fighting, many of Skopje residents still
    believe that the agreement could restore peace to the country.

    "We hope the peace deal can be signed , it will be the
    best thing for this country" said one resident. of Skopje.

    But in the Albanian village of Kondovo, just five
    kilometres from Skopje, residents were less optimistic.

    "I am very worried about the situation, because, you
    know, when one is married too - I want to be happy but in
    this situation now - hard to say - cannot be very happy now,
    because the kids - they are very scared - everybody the APCs
    coming over this way, this way. I don't know what is going to
    happen to us", said 31 year old Mecki Mexhait, just before his
    wedding.


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