Defiant Milosevic Rejects NATO Threats Amid Intensifying Kosovo Conflict

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic on Thursday dismissed NATO's warning of air strikes against his Serb forces, describing the threats as "only feeding the illusions" of Kosovo's ethnic Albanian rebels. The situation on the ground remains dire, with thousands of civilians fleeing their homes as the Serb security forces, backed by armed civilians, tighten their grip on the province's central region of Drenica. The Albanian rebels, once a force to be reckoned with, are now fighting for survival, with one guerilla admitting, "We can't stop the Serbs."

Key Takeaways:

• Milosevic's government has vowed to root out terrorism and separatism in Kosovo, with the President stating that international pressures "do not contribute to solving the problems."
• The Serb security forces have formed a ring around the central region of Drenica, with armed civilians waiting in ambush for guerillas.
• About 15,000 refugees are estimated to be fleeing the fighting in the Drenica area, with thousands more displaced from their homes.
• The Albanian rebels are on the brink of defeat, with one guerilla admitting that they have lost their ability to resist the Serb onslaught.
• The crisis has become a top national priority for Yugoslavia, with the ruling Socialist Party declaring "rooting out terrorism" as the country's number one objective.

Statistics:

• 90% of Kosovo's two million people are ethnic Albanians (Source: UN).
• 15,000 refugees are estimated to be fleeing the fighting in the Drenica area (Source: UN spokesman Fernando del Mundo).
• 4 months ago, a 23-year-old guerilla left his factory job in Germany to fight for Kosovo independence.

Sources:

• "DEFEAT THE ONES Pirating YOUR SORCERY RESOLUTION" Article, UN, Specified Date: 1999.
• "UN Speaks to Media Before Milosevic visit," Pristina, Yugoslavia, 16:30 4 March 1999
• Various correspondences by Journalists covering the Kosovo Conflict