The prime minister of Macedonia said today that his forces had captured all key positions from ethnic Albanian guerrillas operating in the hills above the town of Tetovo. Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski added that the centres from which the guerrillas acted would be eliminated. The government troops met strong resistance as they began a ground attack on positions held by the rebels. The troops, backed up by tanks, advanced on the rebel strongholds after a two-hour artillery barrage that signalled the start of an all-out offensive against them.
The Defence Ministry confirmed that the operation was aimed at expelling the rebels from the country. They had been occupying positions between Tetovo and the border with Kosovo for the past twelve days. The government urged civilians to leave the area, which is mainly populated by ethnic Albanians, but many are believed to still be in their homes. This has led to fears for future civilian casualties.
The rebels say that they are fighting for better rights for Macedonia's large Albanian minority whereas the government claims that the rebels are in fact from neighbouring Kosovo and are trying to create a greater Albania.
