[ALBSA-Info] Confusion as KFOR takes over "safe haven"

[Gazhebo at aol.com]

Confusion as KFOR takes over "safe haven"

By Shaban Buza

  
TANUSEVCI, Macedonia, March 8 (Reuters) - Confusion reigned on the 
Kosovo-Macedonia border on Thursday as international peacekeepers moved into 
part of the village of Tanusevci recently occupied by ethnic Albanian gunmen. 

Villagers in the remote hamlet said it was Macedonian territory, while the 
NATO-led KFOR peacekeepers, based in Kosovo, insisted they had not crossed 
the border. 

"You understand very well the confusion about where the boundaries are...and 
it is a great point of discussion between the government and all the locals," 
U.S. Brigadier General Kenneth Quinlan, Commander of Kosovo's Multinational 
Brigade East, told reporters. 

"We were therefore very careful to delineate this boundary between us and the 
Macedonian authorities, and we have identical maps and we also have the 
advantage of the technical means to know exactly where we are." 

In Skopje, a Defence Ministry spokesman said no KFOR troops had crossed the 
border. But on the scene, Bajram Sinani, a 55-year-old villager, was unconvin
ced. 

"A CITIZEN OF MACEDONIA" 

"KFOR entered 200 metres into Macedonia," he said, showing off his Macedonian 
passport, which gave his place of residence as Tanusevci, Macedonia. 

He was worried about the implication of KFOR's move:"I don't want to be a 
citizen of Kosovo. I am a citizen of Macedonia." 

The peacekeepers moved into the area, which they called "upper Mijak" and an 
extension of Tanusevci, at around 10 a.m. (0900 GMT), hot on the heels of the 
gunmen. 

"They pulled out last night. They loaded stuff in a vehicle and onto several 
donkeys and around two o'clock (0100 GMT) they went towards Macedonia," said 
U.S. Lieutenant Colonel Bryan Owens, who led the operation. 

They had used a school building as their headquarters and the peacekeepers 
found food, supplies and explosives, he said. 

The tiny former Yugoslav republic has issued multiple calls for help since 
skirmishes began two weeks ago, saying the violence threatens the delicate 
relations between its Macedonian majority and one-third ethnic Albanian 
minority. 

KFOR said it was taking "robust" measures to secure its side of the border 
but could not cross into Macedonia. 

"HAVEN ELIMINATED" 

"We have just concluded a successful operation by eliminating a safe haven 
for armed groups here in Kosovo," said Quinlan, speaking in nearby Debelde. 

The peacekeepers said they had injured two gunmen on Wednesday after taking 
control of most of Mijak and had detained seven, two of whom had been freed 
after checks. 

He said they had tried to engage the gunmen, variously estimated to total 200 
to 300, in dialogue, but without success. 

In "Upper Mijak," U.S. Major Jim Marshall tried to try to clear up the 
confusion about the border. 

"That's Macedonia," he said, pointing over a nearby fence. "We are in Kosovo 
and we are very certain where it is." 

"There is no doubt about the confusion the locals have with the border, but 
we coordinated with the Macedonians." 

Across the fence lay other houses that locals said were part of Tanusevci, in 
Macedonia. 

It looked deserted. I stepped over and spent a few minutes in Macedonia 
before troops called me back, warning of mines. 

A short time later a KFOR Chinook helicopter brought a container -- and 
deposited it on the other side.