KOSOVO: UNHCR DELIVER AID TO ETHNIC ALBANIAN REFUGEES

(1 Aug 1998) English/Nat The U-N-H-C-R has delivered sacks of grain, mineral water and food parcels to ethnic Albanian families hiding out in forests or with farmers in Kosovo. The refugees had fled their homes after Serbian forces overran the area around Malisevo in a major offensive two days ago. The U-N organisation has warned that thousands of refugees face disaster unless a political solution to the crisis in Kosovo is found soon. Aid workers have stepped up their efforts to get supplies to an estimated 20-thousand people displaced by the Serb offensive in this rugged area of central Kosovo. The search for missing civilians intensified after teams from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (U-N-H-C-R) found at least 500 terrified ethnic Albanians hiding in the rugged near Malisevo. The area was abandoned by separatist Kosovo Liberation Army (K-L-A) fighters two days ago, following its recapture by government forces. U-N-H-C-R officials said the refugees had little food and no water and were fearful Serb police would hunt them down. There have been unconfirmed reports of more fighting in Kosovo, despite official assurances that the Serb offensive to oust rebels from several strongholds had ended. Tom Vargas, who leads the first U-N-H-C-R aid mission to help the displaced civilians around Malisevo, warned of impending disaster if more aid did not arrive. SOUNDBITE: (English) "They're in a very different situation. They have no shelter whatsoever. They're literally sleeping under the trees. There's a large group of women, children and elderly with practically no drinking water at all, no food reserves, so obviously they can't stay here very long in this situation." SUPER CAPTION: Tom Vargas, head of the U-N-H-C-R's office in Pristina U-N-H-C-R sources claim at least 100-thousand people have been displaced since Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic launched a crackdown on ethnic Albanian militants in February. Some aid teams complained they had been turned back by Serb police as they tried to carry out their work. On Friday, U-S envoy Christopher Hill announced that Milosevic had given his personal assurances that relief workers could deliver the aid to Kosovo Albanians. 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...