Gunmen ambushed Macedonia’s interior minister yesterday, spraying his car with bullets as he travelled to visit refugees returning to their homes.

Macedonian Government forces pounded rebel strongholds with artillery, tanks and helicopter gunships today despite the resumption of talks between ethnic Albanian and Slav politicians aimed at ending the violence.

Macedonian security forces have pushed towards two ethnic Albanian rebel strongholds, setting several houses on fire and touching off explosions that rocked the hills along the rugged border with Kosovo.