IFOR SOLDIERS BECOMING TARGETS MORE FREQUENTLY

SARAJEVO, Jan 7 (Hina) - Soldiers of the international Implementation Force (IFOR) in different parts of Bosnia- Herzegovina found themselves three times under small-arms fire yesterday, but the attacks did not cause more serious consequences, IFOR spokesman in Sarajevo Marc Reiner said. Two attacks were direct, and they were returned, while the opening of fire on British IFOR soldiers in Bosanska Krupa was described as an irresponsible act by a drunken Bosnian army soldier. #L# The soldier fired three bullets on the building where NATO soldiers are located, but the bullets only hit the ceiling. The Bosnian army 5th Corps sent an excuse immediately, Reiner said. Reiner could not say which side had opened fire on a NATO beat near Sanski Most yesterday. British soldiers could not get to the bunker where the fire came from because it was encircled with a mine field. The British soldiers returned the fire with 62 bullets. Another serious incident happened in the Sarajevo area, when a French IFOR beat came under fire. The attack happened in the Serb- controlled suburb of Grbavica. The French soldiers fired back 10 bullets. The soldiers returned fire in both cases because of direct threat to their lives, Reiner said. Commenting on the current situation in Sarajevo, Reiner said that tension in the town had increased considerably in last couple of days. Commenting on a decision by the IFOR command to send NATO soldiers on beats along former separation lines in Mostar, Reiner said that local IFOR commanders had right to decide whether and how NATO force should react to a certain situation. (hina) rm 071349 MET jan 96