ETHNIC ALBANIAN GUERRILLAS ON POSITION NEAR THE VILLAGE OF VELIKI TRNOVAC, 2001-01-03 (photo)

Ethnic Albanian fighters, members of so-called Presevo, Medvedja, Bujanovac Liberation Army, observe the area January 3, 2001 on possition near the village of Veliki Trnovac in the buffer zone on administrative border between Kosovo and Serbia. The guerrillas, who model themselves on the Kosovo Liberation Army which fought against Serb rule in the province, say they are protecting ethnic Albanians in the Presevo Valley area of Serbia from harassment and persecution by Serb police. Serbian authorities say the guerrillas are terrorists intent on joining the Presevo Valley onto ethnic Albanian-dominated Kosovo, which has been under international rule since NATO bombing drove out Serb and Yugoslav forces in June 1999. The buffer zone was set up as part of the deal which ended the bombing and regulated the security forces' withdrawal. Only lightly armed local Serb police are allowed inside the five km (three mile) wide zone. IM/CLH/