‘Safe’ Town Shelled By Bosnian Serbs 15 More Peacekeepers Seized; U.N. Threatens Nato Airstrikes

Bosnian Serb tanks and infantry drove to the edge of Srebrenica on Sunday and fired shells into the town, a U.N.-designated “safe area’ in which civilians are supposed to be spared from attack.

The Serbs also seized 15 Dutch peacekeepers, bringing to 30 the number taken in two days of advancing to within a half-mile of the government-held enclave.

The United Nations threatened the Bosnian Serbs with NATO airstrikes if the attacks continue, and an elite team of Dutch peacekeepers, equipped with wire-guided anti-tank weapons, moved to defend the city’s southern limits.

“The advance must stop where it is,” said a letter sent Sunday night to the Bosnian Serb army commander, Lt. Gen. Ratko Mladic.

The letter, as quoted by U.N. spokesman Lt. Col. Gary Coward, warned the Serbs against attacks on the Dutch troops, who formed what was called “a blocking position” south of town.

Senior U.N. envoy Yasushi Akashi and military commander Lt. Gen. Bernard Janvier “have ordered that if this blocking position is attacked by BSA (Bosnian Serb army) forces, NATO close air support will be employed. The BSA is reminded of the grave consequences of ignoring this warning,” Coward quoted the letter as saying.

The United Nations demanded that the Serbs withdraw to positions held before the attack began on Thursday and that all Dutch peacekeepers be released, along with their equipment.

U.N. observers saw artillery pieces firing into the town, said U.N. spokesman Alexander Ivanko. “It’s pretty much one-way shelling,” he said.

Coward had suggested Serb troops might have wanted only to secure an east-west supply road, near the Serbian border, and push back the enclave’s border, which Serbs have disputed. But with that accomplished, the Serbs advanced another 1.5 miles.

U.N. officials had no word on casualties. But Osman Sulic, a Srebrenica city councilor, told Sarajevo news media that eight civilians had been killed and 27 wounded since Thursday.

Ivanko said the peacekeepers who were seized Sunday and 15 others who were taken Saturday night are not considered hostages. However, Serbs have detained peacekeepers in the past as insurance against NATO airstrikes.