Fighting in the streets of Tetovo goes on

Fighting has continued unabated between Macedonian forces and ethnic Albanian rebels around the country's second city, Tetovo. Overnight, heavily armed security units continued pouring fire on to guerrilla bases in the hills overlooking the city. The exchanges of fire over the past 24 hours have been the heaviest since the violence started last Wednesday. The fighting around Tetovo - now in its fourth day - has intensified fears of a new Balkan conflict. Heavily-armed police units have been pounding the guerrilla bases in the hills, with ethnic Albanian fighters continuing to aim heavy machine gun and automatic rifle fire at the city. Mortar rounds fell directly on Tetovo's central square on Friday, the first time fighting had reached the heart of the city, considered the unofficial capital of the ethnic Albanian minority, BBC reports. One woman was injured, according to the Macedonian Interior Ministry. Many residents of the city have fled, fearing an escalation of the violence. "We have to leave" said one," we are caught in the crossfire."