Vlore, Tuesday
HEAVILY armed Italian and Greek troops poured into the violent southern Albanian port city of Vlore today and secured a key bridgehead with a spectacular show of force.
Nearly a week after soldiers from a multinational security force secured two key ports of entry, Italian and Greek troops drove into Vlore as Italian marines splashed ashore in a seaborne landing.
About 30 tanks and armoured personnel carriers rolled on to beaches near the port from amphibious landing craft.
Some 160 Italian marines immediately began searching buildings near the port as sporadic gunfire rattled in the distance.
Vlore, 90 miles south of the capital Tirana, and much of southern Albania have been controlled by rebel committees since an armed uprising that has claimed about 300 lives began in February.
The committees re-ject the authority of President Sali Berisha and demand his re-signation. They blame Berisha for the collapse of the get-rich-quick schemes that triggered the revolt.
The eight-nation UN-backed security force that will protect humanitarian aid convoys had been extraordinarily cautious about its plans for entering Vlore, where the violence began and the death toll has been high.
The troops today were the first permanent contingent of soldiers into Vlore from the 6000-strong eight-nation UN-backed security force that will protect humanitarian aid convoys .
About 4000 soldiers have now arrived in Albania. France, Spain, Romania, Turkey, Austria, and Denmark are also contributing troops.
General Girolamo Giglio said a total of 740 troops arrived in Vlore. He said 450 Italian and 130 Greek soldiers came by land as well as the 160 Italians by sea.
Hundreds of Albanians watched from a distance as the sea landing unfolded. Many cheered and tried to shake the hands of the soldiers.
''Our brothers, the Italians,'' they chanted. ''We're glad our brothers have come.''
In Rome, Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi said Italy considered it vital for Albania's planned general election to go ahead by the end of June.
-Reuter
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