ARMED MEN REPORTEDLY USE FLOCK OF SHEEP TO CROSS MACEDONIA-KOSOVO BORDER
A1 Television - May 9, 2003

A resident of the Gostivar village of Lomnica has reported to the police that, yesterday at about 1000 0800 gmt, seven unknown men threatened to shoot his 12-year-old son and forced him to accompany them to the border with Kosovo, Serbia-Montenegro, with his flock of sheep. Two hours later, the boy was released, and the perpetrators entered Kosovo by an illegal border crossing, along with the flock of sheep. The shepherd's father informed the police some time before midnight that he had found his flock in the Restelicki Bacila area in Kosovo with the help of his fellow villagers and that he had returned it to Macedonian territory. The MVR Macedonian Interior Ministry has announced that it is trying to establish identity of the seven armed men who committed the violent act.

Source: A1 TV, Skopje, in Macedonian 1700 gmt 9 May 03

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