BOSNIAN CROAT TROOPS WITHDRAWING FROM KONJIC AREA

SARAJEVO, Sept 15 (Hina) - Moslem-led Bosnian army forces gained ground in heavy battles against the Serb military around the central Bosnian town of Konjic (about 50 km south of Sarajevo), UNPROFOR spokesman Major Eric Chaperon told a press conference in Sarajevo today. Chaperon added that in retaliation, Serb forces targeted greater Konjic with artillery fire and that three projectiles hit the town's centre. The Croat Defence Council (HVO) command said that HVO troops would withdraw from around Konjic later today. According to Chaperon, the HVO commanders said in a statement they did not want their troops to be engaged in battles between the Bosnian army and Serb forces. UN sources confirmed that cautionary measures had been tightened in Mostar because of a possibility of renewed Serb artillery attacks on the city. UN military observers said Bosnian government army and Serb forces continued fighting around Bosanska Otoka and the Grabez Plateau in west Bosnia. They also reported exchanges of artillery fire in the northern Bosanska Posavina region. In the eastern Moslem-held town of Gorazde, a British UN peace-keeper was lightly wounded at 8 p.m. yesterday as Serb forces attacked a British patrol. (hina) mm vm 151508 MET sep 94