Macedonia resumed efforts to form a national unity government today while the army was poised to launch another artillery barrage against ethnic Albanian rebels.
The radio broadcast appeals in Macedonian and Albanian for civilians in the northeastern Kumanovo area where the latest fighting is concentrated to leave urgently - either towards neighbouring Kosovo or deeper inside Macedonia.
The deadline was 10 a.m. (9 a.m. Irish time). The appeal - broadcast every 30 minutes - also urged the guerrillas to surrender and let civilians go. So far, there were no reports of resumed shelling after the deadline.
Macedonia has repeatedly accused National Liberation Army rebels of using the villagers as human shields. They deny it.
Since last Thursday similar appeals have been followed by shelling of rebel positions in the villages of Vakcince and Slupcane with tanks, helicopters and long-range artillery.
Up to now nearly 7,000 ethnic Albanians have fled to Kosovo, the UNHCR refugee agency said, while some 500 mostly Slavs or Romas (Gypsies) had moved farther inside Macedonia.
In March 10,000 fled to seek shelter to avoid a previous wave of fighting between troops and rebels in the northwestern area of Tetovo.
The state MIA news agency said that a group of terrorists opened fire on Macedonian troops near Tetovo yesterday. The rebels were dispersed by artillery and tank fire, it said.
Another clash took place at Slupcane yesterday evening, MIA said. It said there were no casulaties on the Macedonian side.