SERBIAN FORCES ESCALATE ATTACKS ON WESTERN KOSOVO VILLAGES

( Editorial: --> 5001 ) PRISTINA, Aug 21 (Hina) - Albanian sources in Pristina on Friday morning reported that Serbian forces have again escalated their attacks on Albanian villages in western Kosovo after a short apparent peace. For the past two day battles have intensified in the Drenica region and other parts of the southern Yugoslav province. Clashes between Serbian and Kosovo Albanian forces are particularly fierce in the villages between Suva Reka and Orahovica, where one Albanian was killed and 10 others were wounded. A Serbian policeman was also killed and another wounded in these battles. The Democratic Alliance of Kosovo's Commission for Emigration and Refugees on Friday said that the conflict in the province had now engulfed 347 Albanian settlements, with 211 villages having been bombarded and 168 abandoned. The total number of displaced people is estimated to be about 380,000. Kosovo's population is 2,403,000, who live in 1,355 settlements. (Hina) mbr 211102 MET aug 98