Ethnic Albanian rebel's fate unclear

Macedonian forces are continuing their offensive

Confusion surrounds the fate of a key ethnic Albanian rebel leader in southern Serbia, who has refused to recognise a Nato-brokered accord aimed at ending the regional conflict.

Despite the uncertainty, officials from Nato and in Belgrade are confident that the deal, signed on Monday, will end southern Serbia's ethnic Albanian rebellion.

According to some reports, Muhamed Xhemajli - known by Serb forces as "Commander Rebel" - has been arrested by Serbian security units.

Other reports said Mr Xhemajli - who has refused to disarm and disband his force, despite the demilitarisation pact signed on Monday - had been detained by Nato K-For troops.

Rebels are to withdraw from the Presevo Valley in Serbia

However a K-For spokesman that he was not in their custody, and that Nato had no knowledge of him being arrested by anybody else.

Belgrade has described Mr Xhemajli as one of the most militant guerrillas, while a senior Nato official has labelled him as a "rogue criminal element".

Reports of his arrest surfaced when Riza Halimi, an ethnic Albanian community leader, told a news conference that Mr Xhemajli had given himself up along with 40 guerrillas.

However, US military spokesman Major Randy Martin told the Reuters news agency: "He hasn't been detained...that is definite."

'Strong signal'

Monday's agreement was signed ahead of the scheduled deployment of Yugoslav forces into the final part of the buffer zone between Kosovo and the rest of Serbia on Thursday.

The Macedonian Army has been ordered to hold fire for now

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic said the deal "creates full conditions for the entry of our forces into the buffer zone".

Nato envoy Pieter Fieth said the deal sent a "strong signal to the region as a whole" and in particular to Macedonia, where a separate arm of the guerrilla movement is still fighting government forces.

Macedonia calm

Macedonia was reported to be calm on Tuesday following one of the heaviest exchanges of fire since the upsurge of violence in the region.

The village of Vakcince under bombardment

On Monday, Macedonian forces launched an artillery attack on the villages of Slupcane and Vaksince in response to an hour of rebel sniper and machine gun fire.

The Macedonian army has declared some progress in its offensive: advances in the village of Opae, right on the front-line, and targets - including a weapons dump - hit in other places.

However, the authorities remain concerned that Albanian rebels who have been fighting in Yugoslavia will cross Kosovo to join their comrades in Macedonia.