Kosovo Serbs protest against Albanian mayors. About 25 NATO peacekeepers have been injured in clashes with protesters.
Riikka Kajander,
Vilma Romsi
On Monday, Serbs clashed with NATO peacekeepers and police while protesting against the inauguration of Albanian mayors in the Serb-majority northern part of Kosovo, Reuters and AP news agencies report.
The NATO-led KFOR operation tells in its announcementthat around 25 NATO peacekeepers have been injured in clashes with protesters.
Protesters threw stun grenades and tear gas at the peacekeepers. According to KFOR, the peacekeepers have suffered burns and fractures from clashes.
In Zvecan, according to Reuters eyewitnesses, the Serbs tried to break into the town hall.
According to AP, NATO forces used tear gas and stun grenades while helping the police convoy through the crowd.
NATO forces and Kosovo police protected government buildings in the towns of Zvecan, Leposavic, Zobun Potok and Mitrovica, where local elections were held last month.
Tensions between the countries
The Serbs had boycotted the elections. Tensions flared in Kosovo when Albanian mayors were elected to posts in the Serb-majority region.
Demonstrators have tried to prevent city leaders from starting their work in northern Kosovo.
On Friday, the president of Serbia Aleksandr Vucic ordered the army on full alert and moved units closer to the Kosovo border.
The United States warned Kosovo on Friday that installing Albanian mayors without the support of the residents would further complicate relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
Serbia’s relations with Kosovo, which gained independence from Serbia in 2008, are tense. There are constant disputes between countries about how countries treat each other’s citizens. Serbia has still not recognized Kosovo’s independence.
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