Fighting continued in Macedonia early today after a NATO-mediated ceasefire between ethnic Albanianrebels and Macedonian security forces came into effect at midnight (10 p.m. yesterday Irish time).
"The ceasefire is not being respected," Macedonian televisionsaid quoting the army spokesman, and "the Macedonian forces areriposting in an appropriate way" as Defence Minister Mr Vlado Buckovskihad said they could do in case of attack.A reporter in the northwestern town of Tetovo said that thedeadline passed as the sound of explosions continued in thesurrounding hills.
Seven people were injured there, after mortar rounds wereearlier fired at the town.
Ongoing artillery fire and exchanges of automatic weapons werereported yesterday evening from the centre of Tetovo, while attackhelicopters were reported to have launched rockets at rebelpositions in the hills just below the town.
The fighting occurred after ethnic Albanian rebels earlierlaunched attacks on police checkpoints in the area, Colonel BlagojaMarkovski from the Macedonian army said.
The clashes continued seemingly regardless of the ceasefireaimed at ending more than five months of conflict in the countrycoming into place.
Fighting was also reported around the northern village ofRadusa, Markovski said, while further clashes were reported in othernorthern villages around Kumanovo.
AFP