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Clash erupts as K-For tackles Kosovo Serb roadblocks | Clash erupts as K-For tackles Kosovo Serb roadblocks |
(about 1 hour later) | |
At least three Serbs and one K-For soldier have been injured in a clash in northern Kosovo during an attempt by peacekeepers to clear roadblocks. | At least three Serbs and one K-For soldier have been injured in a clash in northern Kosovo during an attempt by peacekeepers to clear roadblocks. |
Reports said soldiers from the Nato-led force had fired rubber bullets or live rounds after rioters threw stones at a roadblock near the town of Zvecan. | Reports said soldiers from the Nato-led force had fired rubber bullets or live rounds after rioters threw stones at a roadblock near the town of Zvecan. |
A witness told Reuters news agency that some Serbs had fired hand-guns. | A witness told Reuters news agency that some Serbs had fired hand-guns. |
Serbs set up roadblocks last year after the Kosovan and EU authorities tried to take control of the border with Serbia. | Serbs set up roadblocks last year after the Kosovan and EU authorities tried to take control of the border with Serbia. |
The border has been the scene of recurrent violence between peacekeepers and ethnic Serbs who make up the majority in northern Kosovo. | The border has been the scene of recurrent violence between peacekeepers and ethnic Serbs who make up the majority in northern Kosovo. |
'Very dangerous' | |
Several hundred Serbs had gathered in the village of Rudare to protect barricades, and fighting began when K-For troops in armoured personnel carriers moved in. | |
K-For said in a statement it had started removing roadblocks to "improve freedom of movement" for both its troops and the citizens. | |
The peacekeepers confirmed one of their soldiers had been wounded, saying he had been evacuated and was in a stable condition. | |
Oliver Ivanovic, the official dealing with Kosovo in Serbia's outgoing government, said three Serbs had been injured. | |
He criticised K-For, accusing it of reviving tension at a time when efforts were being made to unblock EU-mediated talks. | |
The situation, he warned, was "very dangerous and could escalate". | |
Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority broke away from Serbia in 1999 following the war between Belgrade and Nato, and they declared independence in 2008. | Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority broke away from Serbia in 1999 following the war between Belgrade and Nato, and they declared independence in 2008. |
Some 80 countries have recognised Kosovo as a state, but a still larger number, led by Serbia and Russia, have withheld recognition. | Some 80 countries have recognised Kosovo as a state, but a still larger number, led by Serbia and Russia, have withheld recognition. |
Serbia's new, nationalist President, Tomislav Nikolic, repeated this week he would "never" recognise Kosovo as an independent state, even if it meant sacrificing the chance of EU membership. |