Скачать или смотреть KOSOVO BORDER: ARMS SMUGGLERS CLASH WITH YUGOSLAV TROOPS

(10 Jul 1998) Albanian/Serbo-Croat

Albanian arms smugglers and Yugoslav troops have traded fire at several Kosovo border points, leaving at least four smugglers dead.

There are also reports of clashes elsewhere in the rebellious province, where ethnic Albanians are fighting for independence from Serbia.

The Kosovan authorities say they have confiscated large quantities of arms and ammunition following clashes in the border village of Vrbnica, 70 kilometres (45 miles) southwest of Pristina.

There are a number of mountain passes that Albanian smugglers use to get arms across the border into Kosovo.

Policing them from the air and on the ground is a hard task for the Yugoslav forces.

When they spot suspected smugglers, the information is quickly relayed back and troops seal off the area.

This was the end of the line for two smugglers at Kosare, where they were gunned down by Yugoslav forces.

In the firefight, several of their horses were killed as well.

The weapons seized included semi-automatic rifles and land mines.

Troops said it was the first time they had seized land mines from ethnic Albanian smugglers.

The Serb commander criticised Albania, accusing it of allowing smugglers a free rein to trade in arms.

SOUNDBITE: (Serbo Croat)
"This is the one of the hardest and one of the most unaccessible border crossings. The terrorists from Kosovo cross into Albania. Albania then accepts them, supports them and give them weapons. Then they return to Kosovo."
SUPER CAPTION: Member of Pristina Officer Corps

In the army barracks at Djakovica, the Serb military showed off their haul of captured weapons.

They are also holding one alleged smuggler.

The man apparently had three horses loaded with weapons.

SOUNDBITE: (Albanian)
"This is the first time I have done it. I went to Albania to buy cigarettes and try to take them back. There were none, so I didn't want to come back with nothing, so I took back the weapons."
SUPER CAPTION: Zef Kqirat, Albanian smuggler

These weapons are probably only a small percentage of arms already be in the hands of separatists fighting in Kosovo.

And while the United States and the European Union try to find some middle ground between the two sides, the fighting looks set to continue.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...