Macedonian premier orders rebels' destruction

With a barrage of heavy artillery fire, Macedonian Government forces pounded rebel positions near the capital today, despite a tentative ceasefire offer from ethnic Albanian insurgents.

The rebel stronghold, comprised of several villages about 20 miles from Skopje, was targeted for much of the morning with ‘‘all available means, including heavy artillery,’’ said army spokesman Blagoja Markovski.

Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski called for the destruction of the rebels.

‘‘Macedonia must mercilessly confront the terrorists. Any delay would only mean deepening and a spreading of fighting," he said.

‘‘Without destroying them first, it is not possible to start a political dialogue’’ with ethnic Albanian representatives, he added.

Fighting has been going on since February, when militants from the country’s sizable ethnic Albanian community took up arms, saying they are battling for more rights.

But the Government regards them as terrorists bent on carving out an ethnic Albanian mini-state and uniting with neighbouring Albania and with Kosovo, the ethnic Albanian-dominated province in adjacent Yugoslavia.