Heavy fighting raged between Macedonian government forces and ethnic Albanian rebels yesterday, while Albanian guerrillas in nearby Serbia signed a pact to disarm and disband.
Tanks, artillery and combat helicopters were in action against insurgents in a cluster of villages in north-eastern Macedonia held by rebels for nearly three weeks.
Battles were concentrated on Vakcince and Slupcane and return fire from the village of Vakcince was the heaviest reporters had witnessed in 18 days of fighting.
The minaret of the mosque was demolished and shells were exploding around it. A photographer could see tracer rounds coming from guerrilla return fire.
A guerrilla officer said there had been heavy shelling and helicopter attacks on Slupcane and Vakcince.
In southern Serbia, by contrast, the commander of ethnic Albanian guerrillas signed a commitment to demilitarise, demobilise and disband his group by the end of the month.
The agreement was signed by Mr Shefket Musliu, commander of the general headquarters of the UCPMB guerrilla group based in the Presevo Valley area next to the Kosovo border, and by the head of NATO's office in Yugoslavia as a witness.
"The UCPMB will be demilitarised, demobilised, and disbanded by no later than May 31st, 2001, with the help of the international community," said the Declaration on Demilitarisation.
Ethnic Albanian rebel commanders in Macedonia denied there was a plan for insurgents in southern Serbia to move into northern Macedonia and link up with guerrillas there.
"There is no truth in these reports," one of the commanders yesterday. A second commander called Hoxha said: "We have enough soldiers already."
Speculation is mounting that some guerrillas may head south to join the fighting in Macedonia as Serbian forces, following a decision by NATO, prepare to take control of a 35 km strip of land in the Presevo Valley on the Kosovo boundary.
The operation was due to start on Thursday, raising the possibility that Macedonian forces might launch an assault at the same time to sap the guerrillas' morale.
Commander Sokoli's selfstyled National Liberation Army (UCK in Albanian) denies links with the UCPMB guerrillas in Serbia's Presevo Valley. But the two ethnic Albanian armed groups are only 20 km apart and are assumed to co-operate.
"They [the UCPMB] have signed a demilitarisation agreement and are sticking to it," Commander Sokoli said.