In Shali, a town south of Grozny, the rebels infiltrated the city and seized two schools.

Western officials put the figure at 8,000 while Sandinista officials contend that only 4,000 rebels have infiltrated, still enough to cause considerable damage.

The rebels have also thoroughly infiltrated the Government's conscript army, according to army officers.

American officers said later that with most of their troops hunkered in their bases, they had been unaware that rebels had infiltrated the grove.

The rebels have been infiltrating men and materiel through seven mountain bases, and the Serbs have been trying to seal the border.

On 10 March, rebels infiltrated the Baba Amr area of Homs under the cover of night.

The rebels infiltrated the mansion, the national radio station and the telecommunications center early Thursday, but managed only to hold onto the mansion, a four-story fortress.

A team from the Ethiopian Navy immediately took action and blew up the boat in which the rebels had infiltrated the area.

They confirmed that the rebels had infiltrated the village, but insisted that they held only a few buildings and had been blocked from escaping.

Because of the extensive media coverage, the rebels infiltrate the hospital.