Dozens of Nato soldiers hurt in Kosovo in clash with Serbs
- Soldiers from Italy and Hungary suffered fractures and burns from ‘incendiary devices’ during demonstrations that also saw over 50 local Serbs injured
- The eruption of violence came amid demonstrations over mayors elected in a poll that Serbs boycotted and called invalid
Violence escalated in northern Kosovo on Monday, where local Serb protesters clashed with police and later with Nato-led peacekeepers, leaving dozens injured.
The force, known as KFOR, said some of its Hungarian and Italian soldiers who were “countering the most active fringes of the crowd” became “the subject of unprovoked attacks and sustained trauma wounds with fractures and burns due to the explosion of incendiary devices”. About 25 soldiers were injured, according to Nato.
More than 50 local Serbs were injured in the flare up, including one in critical condition from gunshot wounds, Serb President Aleksandar Vucic told reporters in Belgrade.
It was the worst violence in years in the tense northern area adjacent to Serbia where Vucic reiterated his pledge to protect the Serb minority that accounts for less than 7 per cent of Kosovo’s 1.8 million people.
“We will not tolerate the pogrom of Serbs,” he said, urging the ethnic kin in Kosovo to avoid confrontation with the multinational, Nato-led peacekeeping troops. “I beg Serbs in Kosovo not to engage in confrontation with Nato.”