20,000 CROATS FLEE VARES

MOSTAR, Nov 4 (Hina) - Following the combat with the much stronger Muslim agressor, the forces of the Vares HVO Brigade withdrew towards the points east and southeast of Vares (central Bosnia). Previously, HVO enabled around 20,000 Croatian civilians to flee from Muslim encirclement, the Main HVO HQ of the Croatian Republic Herzeg-Bosnia informed this morning. According to their latest information, the majority of the Vares Croats refugees are presently in Reljev, near Kiseljak. On the battlefields of Mostar (Herzegovina), the Muslim forces continued provoking along the city frontline and south of Mostar, while on the other battlefields of Herzeg-Bosnia it was mostly calm in the past 24 hours, the same source said. (end) j-jt 041214 MET nov 93