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| UN police retake Kosovo's court | UN police retake Kosovo's court |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| UN riot police have stormed a UN-run court in northern Kosovo, retaking it from Serbs who have forcibly occupied the building since Friday. | UN riot police have stormed a UN-run court in northern Kosovo, retaking it from Serbs who have forcibly occupied the building since Friday. |
| Some 100 police took part in the raid in the Serb-held part of the city of Mitrovica, arresting dozens of Serbs. | Some 100 police took part in the raid in the Serb-held part of the city of Mitrovica, arresting dozens of Serbs. |
| Reports say police later used tear gas at Serbs who gathered outside the building after the dawn operation. | Reports say police later used tear gas at Serbs who gathered outside the building after the dawn operation. |
| Kosovo Serbs and Serbia have refused to recognise Kosovo's declaration of independence last month. | Kosovo Serbs and Serbia have refused to recognise Kosovo's declaration of independence last month. |
| Many of the protesters who seized the Mitrovica court last week are said to be former staff who lost their jobs in 1999 at the end of the war in Kosovo, when it came under UN administration. | |
| Serbs had staged rallies outside the building for several weeks, preventing ethnic Albanian court employees from crossing the bridge over the Ibar River that divides Mitrovica into a Serb-run north and an ethnic Albanian south. | Serbs had staged rallies outside the building for several weeks, preventing ethnic Albanian court employees from crossing the bridge over the Ibar River that divides Mitrovica into a Serb-run north and an ethnic Albanian south. |
| Tension in the region has risen sharply since Kosovo declared independence on 17 February. | Tension in the region has risen sharply since Kosovo declared independence on 17 February. |
| Last week, Serbs tried to take control over a railway line in the northern Kosovo. | Last week, Serbs tried to take control over a railway line in the northern Kosovo. |
| In February, some 150 Kosovo Serb police officers were suspended for refusing to take orders from the ethnic Albanian authorities in Kosovo's capital, Pristina. | In February, some 150 Kosovo Serb police officers were suspended for refusing to take orders from the ethnic Albanian authorities in Kosovo's capital, Pristina. |
| Most EU states and the US have recognised Pristina's unilateral declaration of independence. | Most EU states and the US have recognised Pristina's unilateral declaration of independence. |
| Serbia - backed by its ally Russia - says the move is illegal. | Serbia - backed by its ally Russia - says the move is illegal. |