Eyewitness: Recaptured village

Some civilians have had a terrifying experience

By Jim Fish in Tetovo

After the heaviest day's fighting so far, the road north from Tetovo has now been cleared.

In the wake of the Macedonian army, we took the road, negotiating our way past trees felled by the guerrillas to try to stop their advance. The deserted village of Gajre is now in government hands.

Almost 22,000 people have left their homes in Macedonia

Deserted, but not devastated, Gajre is now effectively the government's front line.

On the edge of the village, armoured cars mark the northern limit of the army's advance.

Despite government claims, we saw no sign that their troops had taken the hills and villages to the north.

It was in villages like these more than a century ago that Macedonians introduced the tactics of guerrilla warfare, against the Turks.

Mindful of their lessons, their Albanian counterparts seem to have melted away into the hills.

Some civilians are coming back to check on their homes, but they have been through a terrifying experience, and they will not be returning just yet.

One of them says: "The Macedonian army is shooting at us, and shelling us. We have no weapons, and we are civilians, and we don't know what to do. Some went down to the town, some went up to the hill".

From Tetovo, most of the bombardment now seems to be over. Ahead of me the Macedonian army has taken the first ridges of mountains.

But they know that the battle is not yet over.