Serb returnees "determined to stay"

There were no casualties in the shooting and the police said they were searching for the attackers. Although concerned for their safety, the returnees say they are not thinking about leaving their village, B92 tv reports.

22 returnees have been living in tents for over a month, awaiting reconstruction of their damaged homes. It often rains and nights are cold, but the returnees say that was "not their biggest problem".

The latest attack against them happened several days ago. Automatic rifle shots were fired at their tent camp while members of the Slovenian KFOR were there.

This has been described as "the most serious attack on the returnees in Zac so far".

However, they are determined to stay, with construction of 13 houses approved, and five more expected to be greenlighted.

Returnee Marko Siljkovic is hoping to rebuild his house despite the fact that it is not safe.

The returnees also deny accusations heard from local Albanians that there were "war operations in the village", B92 reporter said.

Previously, ethnic Albanians said the reason they were trying to drive the returnees out was that there were "war criminals among them", something they have denied.

50 Serbian families lived in Zac before the war. All of them left when the war ended.

However, they did not sell an "inch of their property", which, they now say, is the actual grievance of local Albanians.