As a result of clashes in the northern part of Kosovo between demonstrators of Serb origin and NATO troops of the KFOR peacekeeping mission, who were defending local government buildings, 52 Serbs and several dozen NATO soldiers were injured, according to the Serbian side.
Tension in the region has risen after several towns in northern Kosovo elected mayors of ethnic Albanian descent, even though these are regions mainly inhabited by ethnic Serbs. Kosovo Serbs tried to prevent the new mayors from entering their offices, resulting in clashes with Kosovo’s ethnic Albanian police since the departure of the Serbs last year.
The skirmishes took place in the villages of Zvečan, Leposavić and Zubin Potok. In Zvečan, Kosovo police used pepper spray in an attempt to repel protesters’ attack on the local government building. Serb protesters attacked the KFOR army with tear gas and stun grenades, and also painted the letters “Z” on NATO vehicles, a symbol of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Radio Free Europe published a recording of the events in the town, inhabited by about 10,000 people. people from the town of Zvečan.
Is ready
Serbian President Aleksandar Vicic put the Serbian army on high combat readiness. He said 52 ethnic Serbs were injured in Monday’s clashes, three of them seriously. The president called on the Serbs in Kosovo not to clash with NATO soldiers.
While fighting off the demonstrators, soldiers of the Italian and Hungarian KFOR contingents were subjected to unprovoked attacks and suffered injuries, broken limbs and burns from the incendiary explosion, the KFOR mission said in a statement.
Hungary’s Defense Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky announced that seven Hungarian soldiers from the NATO mission have been seriously injured and will be taken to Hungary for treatment; a total of 20 Hungarians were injured. The Italian Ministry of Defense reported the number of 14 wounded soldiers from this country.
What is happening is absolutely unacceptable and irresponsible. The most important thing now is that further unilateral action by the Kosovan authorities is avoided and that all parties involved take an immediate step back to defuse tensions
This has been said by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani accused Vucic of destabilizing the situation in her country.
Illegal Serb structures became gangs that attacked Kosovo police, KFOR agents and journalists. Those who follow Vucic’s orders to destabilize North Kosovo must be brought to justice
Osman announced.
The latest developments in Kosovo have drawn criticism from the international community, and the European Union, the United States and many European countries have joined forces to prevent further escalation.
Serbs, who make up the majority of the population in northern Kosovo, do not accept the country’s 2008 declaration of independence and Kosovo’s secession from Serbia
writes the Associated Press.
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Mon/PAP
Source: wPolityce