SERBIAN ATTACKS CONTINUE ON KOSOVO ALBANIAN VILLAGES

( Editorial: --> 3060 ) PRISTINA, Aug 11 (Hina) - Serbian forces have continued their heavy offensive on Albanian villages in Kosovo's Decani and Djakovica municipalities which was started several days ago, says the Kosovo Information Centre (KIC). On Tuesday the Serbs shelled the villages of Dubrava, Gramacele and Glogjane. The Centre said there were casualties during the clashes, especially among the civilian population, as well as heavy material damage. It also announced that 110 military vehicles and 36 tanks with heavy weaponry had left Decani early this morning. Albanian sources also report that late Monday night the bodies of five killed Albanians had been delivered to the hospital mortuary in Djakovica. About 60 tanks and 40 armoured vehicles were involved in the Serbian offensive which was started yesterday on Albanian villages in the Decani municipality. The local branch of the Democratic League of Kosovo on Tuesday has sent a dramatic appeal to the leadership of Kosovo, Albania and the international community to do everything possible to urgently intervene and prevent crimes being committed by Serbian forces. The KIC also reports that strong Serbian forces have continued to attack the village of Junik, a Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) stronghold, and several villages in the Djakovica municipality. Albanian sources claim that in the latest offensives on villages in the Drenica area, 13 Albanian civilians had been killed including two children and five women. The situation in Drenica is believed to be tense. The Serbian police have withdrawn from many positions, including the village of Likoce where the KLA's headquarters was formerly located. In the meantime, the pro-Serbian government Media Centre in Pristina has confirmed that battles are continuing in the western half of Kosovo and said a Serbian policeman had been killed in those clashes late last night. (Hina) mbr 111617 MET aug 98