Clashes Cast Shadow on Peace Deal

Heavy fighting between ethnic Albanian guerrillas and government forces erupted in Macedonia’s second-largest city Saturday, two days before political leaders are scheduled to sign a peace agreement.

At least three people, including a policeman, were injured in clashes in Tetovo, a majority ethnic Albanian city in the northwest.

“But the number of casualties could be higher. Our teams can’t get out,” Tetovo medical center director Rahim Thaci said. None of the injuries were life-threatening, he said.

After the bloodiest week of combat since the conflict began in February, ethnic Macedonian forces used helicopter gunships in separate clashes with rebels in Radusa near the northern border with Kosovo, a province of Serbia, Yugoslavia’s main republic.

Defense Ministry officials said eight soldiers were hurt and one police officer seriously injured in Radusa. Macedonia’s government accused guerrillas from Kosovo of taking part in the fighting in Radusa, close to the main reservoir for Skopje’s water supply.

The surge in the conflict clouded chances that a peace plan expected to be signed by leaders of Macedonia’s four leading parties--two ethnic Macedonian and two ethnic Albanian--on Monday will pull the nation back from the brink of an all-out civil war.

The deal is meant to pave the way for deployment of a 3,000-strong North Atlantic Treaty Organization force to disarm the guerrillas.

Tetovo was quiet, and markets were open Saturday before the new clashes. The town has been torn by fierce fighting in recent weeks, and 12 people were injured Thursday.

Macedonia’s MIA news agency said National Liberation Army guerrillas opened fire from Tetovo suburbs and an area near the center of town.

“The Macedonian security forces responded fiercely to the terrorists’ attacks,” the news agency said.