World IN BRIEF : YUGOSLAVIA : Serbians Flee After Rumors of Massacre

Thousands of Serbs were fleeing the Yugoslav republic of Croatia after hearing rumors circulated by Serb nationalists that they face slaughter by Croats, news reports said. Stipe Mesic, a senior Croatian leader, strongly denied that Serbs are in danger. Croatian authorities estimated that 4,000 Serbian refugees fled. Tanjug, the Serbian-based state news agency, said 20,000 fled to Serbia by late Monday. Serbs comprise about 12% of Croatia’s 5 million inhabitants. Serbia’s Communist rulers want a centralized federation. Croatia’s center-right leaders demand that Yugoslavia be changed into a loose alliance of sovereign states.