(19 Aug 1998) Albanian/Nat
Some 200 ethnic Albanian refugees have fled the latest round of fighting between Serb forces and separatist rebels in the breakaway province of Kosovo.
Serbian forces recently crushed Kosovo Liberation Army (K-L-A) bases in the villages of Lodja, Grabovac and Rausic, which lie on the outskirts of the province's second city of Pec.
The refugees told of how their homes and cattle were destroyed by the Serbs, and how they have been left with little more than the clothes they stand up in.
Hundreds of ethnic Albanians have been forced from their towns and villages in Kosovo in the latest onslaught from Serbian forces.
This latest situation follows a weekend push when Serbian forces captured a series of key Albanian strongholds.
Many are in urgent need of medical aid and shelter.
The refugees are desperate for an escape route to nearby Albania or Montenegro, but for the moment they are trapped along the bank of the river Bistrica, which lies to the west of Kosovo.
Some refugees have managed to find shelter with families in nearby towns, but many have been forced to sleep in the woods near the river.
They are looking to the west to help them.
SOUNDBITE: (Albanian)
"We are here waiting for any help from Europe. We have nowhere to return to, because all our houses have been burned."
SUPER CAPTION: Avdyl Biqiraj, Kosovan refugee
Refugees described the onslaught of the Serb forces, who they say torched their homes and destroyed their cattle.
SOUNDBITE: (Albanian - full translation of soundbite but incomplete video)
"They robbed us and burned our houses and burned all our animals. There are now 16 of our family here. We have no food, medicines, or clothes, as you can see we had to flee with absolutely nothing."
SUPER CAPTION: Sabrie Osaj, refugee from Decani
Most of the refugees are women and children.
Some of the women have even given birth in the woods since they were forced to leave their homes.
The United Nations now estimates that more than 200-thousand (231,000 exact figure) people have been uprooted in the six months since the conflict began.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
