Macedonian troops launched tank and mortar fire against ethnic Albanian guerrillas today near the capital, Skopje.
A police source said the operation was under way near the northern border with Kosovo in two areas north of Skopje - one close to the village of Gracani and the other further east in the Tanusevci area.
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Houses hit in attacks near Tetovo this week
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"Around two hours ago the operation started to clean up the terrain which is still in guerrilla hands," the source said.
It may be the last major move to dislodge guerrillas from mountain hideouts after a ground assault on Sunday drove them from positions they held in hills above the town of Tetovo for 12 days.
The government says the guerrillas above Tetovo fled northwest towards Kosovo, which they used as a rear base.
But the rebels, who are fighting for greater rights for Macedonia's one-third ethnic Albanian minority, still hold positions in the hills further east.