U.N. Warns Serbs: New Attack Will Bring Retaliation

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina —  U.N. commanders brought peacekeepers closer to direct involvement in Bosnia’s war on Monday, warning Serbs who attacked a U.N. base that they face immediate retaliation if they do it again.

“I cannot allow the lives of my soldiers to be put in danger,” said the U.N. commander for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Lt. Gen. Francis Briquemont of Belgium.

French Gen. Jean Cot, commander of all U.N. forces in the former Yugoslav republics, said peacekeepers would have fired back Sunday had they been prepared to retaliate.

The peacekeepers were surprised as they set up a position in Sarajevo.

No soldiers were hurt, but four vehicles were wrecked.

The Bosnian Serb chief of staff, Gen. Manojlo Milovanovic, expressed “deep sorrow and condolences” to the United Nations over Sunday’s attack.