Violence continues; US orders evacuation

[UPI]

TIRANA, March 12 (UPI) -- Albanian rebels are threatening the capital
Wednesday, following a series of raids on arms depots on the outskirts
of Tirana during which the rebels fled with weapons and ammunition.
The raids came as Albanian TV reported President Sali Berisha had
formed a government of national reconciliation, made up of 15 portfolios
divided almost equally between his ruling Democratic Party and the
opposition.
Albania's newly appointed Prime Minister Bashkim Fino said the
demands of the opposition insurgents should be listened to, but the
verbal olive branch he extended to the rebels seems to have fallen on
deaf ears.
The violence -- and the arming by both rebels and Berisha supporters --
shows no signs of abating.
In Washington, the Clinton administration Wednesday ordered an
evacuation of most official personnel and has told the estimated 2,000
Americans in the country on private business to leave.
U.S. officials say all but 17 of the 177 Americans working at the
embassy in Tirana and their families will depart this week by commercial
aircraft or charter.
The insurgents late Tuesday captured the country's largest military
airfield, located just 60 miles (97 km) south of Tirana. The seizure
gives the rebels control of about one-fifth of the country's warplanes.
Thousands of Berisha's supporters staged a march Tuesday in his home
town of Bajram Curri to reject the rebels' demand that the president
must resign before they will consider peace.
Most insurgents blame Berisha and his government for the collapse of
several bogus financial schemes that left thousands of Albanians berift
of their life savings.