80,000 Serbs Arrive From Croatia

The Serbian government dispersed a bitter army of Serb refugees across the countryside Friday, while thugs in some villages evicted Croats from their homes to make room for the new arrivals.

Red Cross officials said 80,000 ethnic Serbs had arrived in Serbia since the Croatian army retook most Serb-held areas of Croatia a week ago. It was the largest band of homeless yet produced in a four-year-old war marked by masses of people trekking from one part of former Yugoslavia to another.

Many refugees were attacked as they departed Croatia. Chris Gunness, a U.N. spokesman in Zagreb, Croatia, said a Serbian refugee hit by a brick on Wednesday died of head injuries.

Serbian authorities dispersed the refugees to gymnasiums and other public buildings in the provinces, allowing only those with relatives to enter the capital, Belgrade.