BATTLES CONTINUE IN KOSOVO WHILE NUMBER OF VICTIMS & REFUGEES RISE

( Editorial: --> 1349 ) PRISTINA, Aug 2 (Hina) - Albanian sources have reported that the number of victims and refugees in Kosovo is on the rise, while Serbian forces continue heavy attacks in the western and northern parts of the southern Yugoslav province. Eight Albanians have been killed in the villages of Stutica, Josanica and Polace, including four women and an 11-year-old child, while three Kosovo Liberation Army members were killed and at least another five Albanians were wounded. Albanian sources said many homes in the villages were set ablaze. Today's attacks by Serbian forces has caused a new wave of refugees from 10 villages in the Drenica area which are being directly targeted. Military-police forces are carrying out heavy attacks on the village of Junik near Decani and other villages near the Albanian border in the Djakovica municipality. A convoy of Serbian forces equipped with heavy artillery weapons has headed towards villages in the Djakovica area. The pro-Serbian government Media Centre in Pristina has quoted police sources saying that at about 10am this morning near the village of Prilep on the Decani-Djakovica road, a police control point was attacked with mortar, machine-gun and automatic fire. There was also fire from the village. The police responded to the attack and heavy skirmishes are still continuing. Serbian sources said there were many injured from the clashes. (Hina) mbr jn 021958 MET aug 98