Ethnic Albanian sources in the Serbian province of Kosovo say government forces are using heavy artillery to attack villages in the western and central parts of the region.

According to the main Kosovo Albanian party, the LDK (Democratic League of Kosovo), people in the area saw grenades being fired at houses when fighting began again on Monday.

Reports said at least eight ethnic Albanians had been killed and several others wounded, but there has been no independent confirmation that such attacks have been launched as the area has been sealed off.

Serbian officials in the Kosovo capital of Pristina say armed separatists have attacked their forces and that they have taken control of certain areas.

Three Serbian policemen are reported to have been attacked by armed guerrillas when their vehicles were fired on as they were travelling on roads in Kosovo. Reports said one subsequently died in hospital.

Most Albanians want a peaceful solution to the crisis

This latest violence comes as efforts are being made to try and resolve the crisis in the province.

Last week between Serbian and ethnic Albanian negotiators met to try and negotiate peace talks for Kosovo, which has been ravaged by violence for three months now.

A BBC correspondent in the region says there is no indication that the two rival sides are prepared to end the violence because neither the ethnic Albanian guerrillas nor the Yugoslav forces have called for a ceasefire.