CROATIAN REBEL SERBS LAUNCH VERY INTENSE ATTACKS ON WEST BOSNIA

ZAGREB, March 9 (Hina) - Croatia's rebel Serbs from UNPAs intensified attacks on the Bihac area every day, according to the reports of the Bosnian government army's 5th Corps quoted by the Bihac press agency. While attacking 5th Corps and Croat Defence Council (HVO) positions, Serbs continued amassing fresh troops in the area, the agency said. The so-called Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) troops were included in the attacks along with forces from other Serbian puppet states, the 5th Corps said gaining the information from captured Serb soldiers. The Serb forces, now deployed at the temporary occupied part of Velika Kladusa, included troops from Banja Luka and from occupied Croatian areas - 13th Kordun brigade, 24th, 31st and 32nd brigades of the so-called Bania Corps, a special police unit of the so-called Lika Corps, military formations from Serbia - 63th parachute division from Serbia's town Nis, "Wolfs" from Pancevo and some 800 mercenaries from other parts of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). There was a small number of paramilitaries loyal to local warlord, Moslem separatist Fikret Abdic, who were used by the Serbs just to present clashes around Velika Kladusa as the conflict between Moslems. More and more frequent flights of combating helicopters from UNPAs of Croatia were spotted over the area. Flying over the villages of Skocaj and Zavalja the helicopters were said to set fire at several civilian buildings by launching "maljutka"-type rockets at the targets. (Hina) jn rv mms 091957 MET mar 95