BOSNIAN ARMY GAINS GROUND IN NORTHWEST

SARAJEVO, May 24 (Hina) - The Bosnian army Fifth Corps gained considerable ground in yesterday's fighting near Bosanska Krupa in northwestern Bosnia. UN military observers said today the Bosnian army had taken complete control of the village of Hodzinac on the western bank of the Una River, north of Bosanska Krupa. Sarajevo radio said that 18 Serb fighters, belonging to the so-called Novigrad Brigade of rebel Serb forces from neighbouring Croatia, had been captatured. Serbs pounded the village of Coralici with artillery fire in retaliation for the losses they had suffered. The Bosnian army said it had captured 70 square kilometres of territory in its thrust from Bihac towards Bosanska Krupa. In the last ten days, the Fifth Corps had gained full control of the villages of Veliki Radic, Grmusa, Drenovi, Tijesno, Golubic, Pritoka, Ripac, Racic and Lohovo. The latest Bosnian army operation considerably reduced the threat of renewed Serb shelling attacks on Bihac and foiled attempts of both Bosnian and Croatian Serb forces to link up at the Una River. (hina) vm 241426 MET may 95