Paul Wood reports on the exodus of refugees

At least 2,000 people have crossed into neighbouring Albania to escape from an offensive by Serb forces against ethnic Albanian guerrillas. Thousands more are reported to be hiding in hills in western Kosovo.

UNHCR's Abdelrahim Mohamed: hundreds more refugees are on their way to Albania

The spokesman for the UN refugee agency in Geneva, Kris Janowski, said the situation in Kosovo was reminiscent of the start of the conflict in Bosnia-Hercegovina.

He said the entire Albanian-speaking population of two large villages, Junik and Decani, had fled after a massive artillery attack.

Many people have abandoned their homes

Meanwhile, Serbia has said its forces have wiped out what it called a large terrorist group in the province. A statement from Belgrade said the clash occurred when ethnic Albanians tried to block a road between Decani and Djakovica in the west of the province. One Serb policeman was also killed.

The area has been closed to outsiders by Serbian police, but according to a BBC correspondent, some journalists have managed to get through.

They have reported that security forces were systematically destroying entire ethnic Albanian villages by shelling houses and then setting them on fire.

Fighting drives out Albanians

The exodus of refugees began on Sunday after dozens of ethnic Albanians, who make up 90% of the population of Kosovo, were killed by Serb forces.

People arriving in Albania have said they took a circuitous route to avoid Serb patrols, while they said thousands of others remained hiding in the woods having been urged by their leaders not to flee to Albania because they may never be allowed to return.

Nato spokesman James Shea: ethnic cleansing may be an overstatement

On Monday, Albania called for immediate action by the international community to stop what it called the ethnic cleansing of Albanians in Kosovo.

Key facts about the situation:

• More than 250 people have been killed in clashes between Serbian police and ethnic Albanians since the beginning of the year.

• 90% of Kosovo's population of 2.2 million are ethnic Albanians, most of whom seek independence from Serbia.

• Serbia stripped the region of its autonomy in 1989 and has ruled it since with a heavy military and police presence.