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![]() Missiles slam into central Belgrade
Yugoslav, Albanian forces fight at border
April 20, 1999
BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (CNN) -- Massive explosions jolted central Belgrade early Wednesday during NATO's overnight raids, setting a tall building ablaze. At least two cruise missiles struck the building believed to belong to Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's ruling Socialist Party, CNN's Brent Sadler reported from the scene. Flames were pouring out of the upper floors of the building, which is about 15 stories tall, and the ground level was also engulfed in fire. The structure is topped with a large radio and television transmission unit. Yugoslav media reported other attacks in Novi Sad and Valjevo. Belgrade television station Studio B also reported strikes on the central Serbia town of Kraljevo, which has been repeatedly targeted during the air campaign. Wednesday's raids followed an outbreak of fighting between Yugoslav and Albanian forces at a remote border crossing. Andrea Angeli, spokesman for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, said the Yugoslav army exchanged sniper and machine gun fire with Albanian soldiers for seven hours at a border post about 30 miles (48 km) north of the Albanian town of Kukes. At least one Albanian soldier was reported wounded. The OSCE said it does not know which side started the firefight. The incident was the first clash between Albanian military and Yugoslav troops witnessed by international monitors since NATO airstrikes began March 24. Meanwhile, NATO took advantage of clear skies on Tuesday to step up bombing raids across Yugoslavia, including some daylight attacks on Pristina and other parts of Kosovo.
In Brussels, British Prime Minister Tony Blair vowed there would be "no deal" with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic that stopped short of all of NATO's demands. "There is no question of making some deal or compromise with Milosevic," Blair said, speaking at a news conference with NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana. "We have set out our demands and objectives and they will be met in full because they are the minimum demands that we can, in all humanity, make." Asked about NATO's determination in light of the fact that Milosevic has shown no sign of backing down, Blair said, "The solution is very simple, we will carry on until he does step down." Later, NATO spokesman Jamie Shea said that NATO did not intend to force Milosevic to step down from his leadership of the Balkan country, but did say bombing would continue until he "backed down" from his refusal to accept NATO terms for peace. "I have always said that Milosevic's future is up to the Serbian people," Shea said.
Shea said the Yugoslav army was driving ethnic Albanians out of their homes toward southern Kosovo in a "safari operation" but not allowing them to cross the border. He said a train was sent south from Pristina but stopped near the border and was sent back. "What we are seeing is a safari operation ongoing by Serb security forces against Kosovo Albanians. First, there is a pattern of shelling into the hills, beating them out of the bush if you like," Shea said. "Then they are on the roads ... being moved hither and thither, particularly being mixed up with military vehicles of course on those roads. Then they are put into trains and sent to borders but sometimes when they arrive they are sent back again." There was also new evidence that Yugoslav forces were clearing ethnic Albanians from parts of Montenegro, Serbia's sister republic in Yugoslavia, Shea said. Tens of thousands of Kosovo Albanians have poured into Montenegro in recent weeks. Pentagon spokesman Ken Bacon said U.S. defense officials were looking into those reports. Reports of war crimes continue to come out of Kosovo, Shea said, including summary executions, boys being used as "human shields or blood banks" for Serb casualties and women being raped by Yugoslav soldiers. Pentagon spokesman Ken Bacon said U.S. defense officials were looking into those reports.
In London, British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook announced that Britain would turn over detailed intelligence reports on Serb actions in Kosovo to the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague. "What is happening in the killing fields of Kosovo is unforgivable," Cook said. He termed the Serb's actions in Kosovo a "sustained campaign of brutality" and an "almost daily catalog of murder." In London with Cook, tribunal chief prosecutor Louise Arbour reiterated statements she made last week that the tribunal needs the aid of individual nations to collect evidence to prosecute war crimes. "We will take the cases to court on the basis of admissible credible evidence that will support the charges," she said. The sole impediment to us bringing charges is our own assessment of the evidence."
U.S. officials said 700 paratroopers from the U.S. 82nd Airborne were being deployed to Albania to protect a fleet of Apache tank-killing helicopters en route to the Balkans. Some of the 82nd Airborne troops were already in Tirana, but others were still in the process of leaving Fort Bragg, officials said. NATO's air attacks against Serb forces in Yugoslavia continued overnight, targeting oil supply facilities, communication systems and military targets, British military spokesman Gen. Sir Charles Guthrie said Tuesday. Serb television said a satellite ground station was damaged in Prilike, about 80 miles (130 km) south of Belgrade near the central Serb town of Ivanjica. Serb TV said one person was killed in overnight raids late Monday and early Tuesday, and 11 others were injured in a strike on Nis, a city about 125 miles (200 km) southeast of Belgrade that has come under heavy attack in Operation Allied Force. A tobacco industry plant suffered heavy damage there, and residential buildings and a factory warehouse were hit, Serb TV said. Four people were wounded in Nova Varos, about 150 miles (240 km) southwest of Belgrade, near a major railroad linking Belgrade and the Montenegran port city of Bar, Serb TV said. A bridge on the same rail line was attacked last week. Serb TV said a factory in Valjevo, a previous target, was hit again. It showed video of an explosion and damaged residential buildings. Correspondent Brent Sadler contributed to this report RELATED STORIES: Blair: 'No deal' for Milosevic RELATED SITES: Extensive list of Kosovo-related sites
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