Macedonia PM asks for war declaration

Outraged by the killing of five soldiers, Macedonia’s Prime Minister is to ask Parliament to declare a state of war against ethnic Albanian rebels, despite international appeals to resolve the conflict peacefully.

Ljubco Georgievski intends to urge the parliament to ‘‘officially introduce a state of war and mobilisation ... because it is not possible to respond otherwise to the threats against Macedonia’s security and sovereignty’’, said his spokesman, Antonio Milososki.

The comments by Georgievski’s spokesman came hours after five soldiers died and seven were wounded in rebel attacks - the most serious escalation of violence in weeks.