Thousands Flee Serb Shelling in Kosovo
Serbian security forces shelled an ethnic Albanian rebel stronghold in northern Kosovo on Wednesday, spreading fighting to a peaceful area of the province and sending thousands of people fleeing.
The Kosovo Information Center, which is close to the ethnic Albanian leadership, said Serbian forces attacked 12 villages between Kosovska Mitrovica and Podujevo, towns about 20 miles north of the provincial capital, Pristina.
The region north of Pristina and the Drenica region are believed to be the remaining strongholds of the Kosovo Liberation Army, which is fighting for Kosovo’s independence from Serbia, one of two Yugoslav republics.
Serbian police said six guerrillas and a police officer were killed and four officers wounded.
Yugoslav soldiers blocked all roads into the area, refusing access to observers and reporters.
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