Clashes threaten Macedonia ceasefire

Fighting broke out between rebels and government forces in Macedonia as British troops and equipment today continued to arrive to join the massive Nato weapons collection operation.

Local police said ethnic Albanian rebels opened fire on government positions on the outskirts of the city of Tetovo last night with guns and mortars.

The ceasefire violation comes ahead of today’s visit by the Alliance’s supreme allied commander in Europe, General Joseph Ralston, who will help determine whether the country is stable enough to start an effort to gather rebel arms.

The advance party of British troops continued to prepare for Operation Essential Harvest, which aims to implement a lasting ceasefire in the troubled region.

The Ministry of Defence said about 250 troops had arrived in the capital Skopje by mid-afternoon yesterday and met no opposition from local people.

Senior leaders on the ground were drawing up plans for the early phase of the mission, including sending out liaison teams to relevant parties today.

Brigadier Barney White-Spunner, who will command the multinational brigade, said he would advise that the mission move ahead ‘‘when, and only when, the conditions on the ground are acceptable’’.

He said he would speak to the Macedonian government and the leadership of the rebels, known as the National Liberation Army.

‘‘If either side fails to cooperate, then there is no role for this task force here in Macedonia,’’ he added.

The first British troops touched down in Skopje on Friday night and began establishing a force headquarters on Saturday.

A procession of flights out of both RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire and RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire were continuing to ferry troops and supplies into Macedonia, including helicopters, Land Rovers, trucks and trailers.

Last night some 400 troops from Britain, Canada, Greece and the Czech Republic were expected to have arrived, Nato spokesman Barry Johnson said.

Soldiers leaving Lyneham yesterday for the 30-day mission said they had ‘‘a job to do’’ and were pleased to be putting their training to use.

Four Hercules aircraft, equipped with infra-red counter measures in case of attack were due to head out of Lyneham today.

Staff Sergeant Roger Smith, 33, from North Walsham, Norfolk, who is a member of the 13 Air Assault Support Regiment, said he received a call back to base on Thursday while he was out with a scouts’ camping trip.

The soldier, who served in Kosovo at the time of the crisis, said they were ‘‘going into the unknown’’ but added: ‘‘Most of the blokes look forward to this sort of mission.’’

It is hoped that by the middle of the week the advance party will be able to report back to the North Atlantic Council on whether conditions on the ground would permit the full deployment of the mission, the MoD said.

If the advance team determines that both sides are observing the ceasefire, Nato’s ruling council could agree later this week to deploy the full 3,500-strong force.