KOSOVO PODUJEVO BRITISH KFOR TROOPS ENTER TOWN

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(18 Jun 1999) English/Nat • • Crowds of jubilant ethnic Albanians lined the streets, as British KFOR troops rolled into town aboard their tanks and armoured vehicles. • • The entry of the British units into Podujevo marks a key stage of NATO's deployment in the northern sector of the province. • • Under the peace accord that ended NATO's bombardment of Yugoslavia, all Serb forces must leave Kosovo by Sunday night. • • Challenger tanks and Warrior infantry carriers from Britain's 4th Armoured Brigade began moving into final positions along the Kosovo-Serbia border this morning, in their last big advance northwards. • • The armed column moved into Podujevo 40-Kilometers North of Pristina, where there had been heavy fighting early this morning. • • In and around Podujevo, the streets bear witness to the fierce campaign of intimidation and terror waged by Serb forces. • • On the outskirts of the town, a bus looked to have been attacked and was burning fiercely though no bodies could be seen. • • Even as K-FOR peacemakers entered, Yugoslav forces were beating a final retreat as they headed out of town. • • Hundreds of jubilant Albanians flooded the streets to welcome the K-FOR peacemakers. • • Chanting Nato! Nato!! and throwing flowers at the tanks the crowds mingled calmly with British troops. • • On this occasion even the old weren't being left out of the celebrations. • • The Albanians see K-FOR troops as liberators from an oppressive Serb rule. • • This man told reporters how Serb police tried to force him to say he was a member of the KLA guerrilla group. • • SOUNDBITE: (English) • ...just tell me (the Serb police said), you are KLA and you have to die • SUPER CAPTION: Local Albanian • • The soldiers face the difficult task of fostering a reconciliatory mood in this town, as they try to ensure that the area is made safe for returning refugees. • • SOUNDBITE: (English) • We don't mind having our forces intermingled with the Serb forces, but what we do not want is for there to be any security vacuum. To that end we are moved up and are going to deploy forces throughout the area, so that any attack by either community upon each other can be stopped by our forces . • SUPER CAPTION: Major Toby Bridge, Royal King's Hussars • • As British forces consolidate their hold of Northern Kosovo, NATO is hopeful the next few days will see a fuss-free and complete Serb withdrawal. • • Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork • Twitter: / ap_archive • Facebook: / aparchives • Instagram: / apnews • • • You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...

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