46 SERB POLICEMEN DETAINED BY IFOR AFTER SHOOTING IN MAHALA

TUZLA, Aug 29 (Hina) - The Tuzla-based Office of the International Police Forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina on Thursday reported about a shooting in the village of Mahala near Zvornik, Serb entity, which took place from 10.40 until a little after 11.00 this morning, when three planes of the NATO-led Peace Implementation Force (IFOR) arrived at the site. According to the Office, the shooting came about when, around 10.40 a.m., 50 Serb policemen surrounded Mahala, to which some 30 Bosniak-Muslim displaced persons had returned three days before. The Office said that, until this morning's incident, there was no tension because of the returnees. The international police do not know who started the shooting, but it was later determined that the Muslim returnees did not carry arms. IFOR soldiers temporarily detained 46 Serb policemen, supposed to be released after an afternoon meeting of representatives of IFOR, the international police forces, and the Zvornik Mayor and chief of the police. The International Police Office in Tuzla pointed out that this was the largest incident after the signing of the Dayton Agreement and that several Bosniak-Muslims had been beaten up. (hina) ha 291713 MET aug 96