(30 Jul 1995) English/Nat
Approximately 20-thousand Serbian refugees have fled the western Bosnian towns of Glamoc and Grahovo in the wake of a Croat offensive.
But Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic has vowed to recapture the strategic towns in a new counter-offensive against Croatian forces.
Serbian refugees have been fleeing in whatever transport they can find this weekend after Croatian forces took over the southwestern Bosnian towns of Glamoc and Grahovo Friday.
In Glamoc alone, almost the entire civilian population of approximately 12-thousand left after the Croatian advances.
Serbs have held the town since 1992.
By taking the two strategic towns, Croats opened a southern front in Bosnia and infringed on the Bosnian Serb heartland, which has remained intact ever since the Serbs swept through 70 percent of Bosnia in 1992.
They also severed the chief road linking Knin, the self-proclaimed capital of the rebel Serbs across the border in Croatia, with territory held by Bosnian Serbs.
While the opposing sides continue to battle, civilians flee to safety.
About 20-thousand civilians are reported to be on the move.
Refugees herded their cattle or sheep away northwards towards the town of Drvar.
But Drvar was not their final destination - refugees waited to board buses to take them to Serbian held territory.
Bosnian Serb Vice-President Biljana Plavsic was present in the town trying to sort out this latest refugee problem in the war-torn former Yugoslav Republic.
SOUNDBITE: (in English)
"Now we are in Drvar and this place and surrounding places we have a great problem with all kinds of - 15-thousand of refugees"
SUPER CAPTION: Biljana Plavsic, Bosnian Serb Vice-President
The International Red Cross has been called in to help out with the refugees.
SOUNDBITE: (in English)
"Hope that we shall be able to be supported by International red Cross and other organisations to solve this problem maybe in two or three days."
SUPER CAPTION: Biljana Plavsic, Bosnian Serb Vice-President
Many of the civilians are reported to be sleeping out in the open.
But the number of refugees - from either side - may soon swell after Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic ordered the Bosnian Serb Army to launch a counter-offensive in southwestern Bosnia.
Bosnian and Croatian Serbs both proclaimed a state of war Friday in response to the Croat advances.
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