BOSNIA: KLADANJ: THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES FLEE ZEPA

(27 Jul 1995) Natural Sound While the world argues over the action they should be taking to halt the Bosnian Serb advance on U.N protected areas, thousands of refugees are fleeing the area of Zepa - overrun on Tuesday by General Ratko Mladic's troops. Old and young alike struggled through the night to reach safety. About 1,400 Zepa civilians - mainly women and children - trudged across the front line into the central Bosnian town of Kladanj early Thursday. They fled the 'safe haven' of Zepa after Serbs took control on Tuesday, two weeks after they seized nearby Srebrenica, another east Bosnian U.N. protected area. Women, children and elderly people arrived in Kladanj throughout the night. They spoke of Serb verbal abuse but reported none of the alleged massacres or rapes that were reported by Srebrenica refugees. An estimated 7,000 people are still missing from Srebrenica. Aid agencies immediately offered the refugees bread and water, the first they had had in two days. The injured were treated in a make shift hospital. Many of them old worn ..... out by 39 months of war. It appears that the Bosnian Serb military command are meeting their objectives, to drive out the local populations and surround a rump Bosnia before a peace settlement is considered. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...