Grief-stricken Macedonian Slavs yesterday buried five soldiers killed by ethnic Albanian rebels. The killings sparked violent retaliation in the southern city of Bitola. Three of the soldiers were from the Slav dominated city.
In Brussels, NATO defence ministers condemned Tuesday's ambushes. NATO secretary-general Lord Robertson urged the rebels to lay down their arms and take part in normal political processes.
Up to 3,000 people rampaged through Bitola on Wednesday, attacking ethnic Albanian businesses and homes.
Government officials said some 50 premises had been damaged and 14 people had been hurt, three with gunshot wounds from weapons fired by business owners defending their property. Police arrested three people for the shootings.
The home of Macedonia's Deputy Minister of Health, an ethnic Albanian, was burned to the ground, as was his brother's house next door.
It was the second time in less than six weeks that Bitola had witnessed violent ethnic riots. After four soldiers from the area were killed by rebels in April, there were two days of rioting.