DRAMATIC HUMANITARIAN CONDITIONS IN KOSOVO

( Editorial: --> 6156 ) PRISTINA, August 26 (Hina) - Humanitarian conditions in the western areas of Kosovo are dramatically deteriorating, since the food supply to the population is almost completely paralysed, Albanian sources reported today. The Kosovo Committee for the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms reported that in the woods among the municipalities Suva Reka, Malisevo and Orahovica there were almost 150,000 Albanian refugees. The Committee called for humanitarian organisations to urgently help the affected population, for fear of starvation. According to the Kosovo Information Centre the Serbian forces launched a new offensive today in some villages of the Malisevo municipality. Albanian sources report that the Serbian forces set fire to a number of houses in the village of Banje, and also attacked other villages in the Malisevo municipality. (hina) jfk 261959 MET aug 98