ALBANIAN EXTREMISTS ENCIRCLE MACEDONIAN SERVICEMEN








BELGRADE, March 9. /From RIA Novosti correspondent Sergei Ryabikin/. Macedonian authorities have sent additional army forces to rescue their brothers-in-arms who got encircled by Albanian extremists in the area of the villages of Brest and Malino, near Kumanovo border town, according to Skopje reports.


	Late on Thursday night, Albanian militants attacked a convoy on military vehicles firing a grenade launcher and killing a driver.


	Then the Macedonian servicemen came under an intensive automatic weapon and grenade launcher fire. Though with intervals, the firing lasted all night and morning long. The convoy was heading for the village of Gosince where the country's police top were staying - Ljube Boskovski, deputy manager of the Security Directorate, and Deputy Interior Minister Refet Elmazi.


	Reports claim, the skirmish is still going on. It is one of the most fierce clashes since Albanian terrorists penetrated Macedonia's northern provinces.  The convoy of military vehicles is reported to be still encircled. A Swiss reporter is allegedly in one of the vehicles.