Macedonian security forces have launched a further assault on positions held by ethnic Albanian guerrillas in the Kosovo border region.
The area had been relatively quiet since last Sunday's major offensive with tanks and helicopters. It was not immediately clear whether the renewed offensive was a mopping-up operation or a response to a revival of rebel resistance. Villagers who had fled the fighting were preparing to return home when the fresh offensive began. The sound of artillery could be heard as far away as the capital, Skopje, a distance of some 40 km.
The area of the assault stretched from the village of Lipkovo to the east to the village of Brest to the west, including other rebel strongholds, such as Gracane, Malino Mala and Gosince.
Infantry were observed advancing behind tanks up the winding mountain roads from early morning. Mortar fire was also reported and there was an eyewitness account of a helicopter firing rockets at a rebel position. Macedonia was supplied with helicopters last week by the Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Reuters said two US Apache helicopters from the NATO peace forces hovered just across the border with Kosovo, monitoring the engagement.
"Since this morning a new action of the Macedonian security forces has been under way in order to break terrorists along the northern border where there have been provocations," a Macedonian army spokesman said.
In Brussels, the EU's representative on foreign and security policy, Mr Javier Solana, said he had persuaded Macedonian government leaders to respond to the grievances of local Albanians by making political compromises.
Ethnic Albanians who make up between a quarter and a third of the country's two million population complain of discrimination in education and employment. The guerrillas have at least the tacit support of some in the Albanian community.
The EU is encouraging compromise with the incentive of closer European links and an enhanced aid package as a reward for creating a more cohesive multi-ethnic society. The Macedonian Foreign Minister, Mr Srgan Kerim, said changes to the constitution were not ruled out, but added: "We must avoid the false impression that the terrorists have succeeded in forcing this on to the agenda now."