At least 30 members of the NATO-led peacekeeping mission were injured in clashes with Serb (ethnically Serbian) protesters in the southeastern European country of Kosovo.
According to international media reports, at least 30 peacekeeping personnel were injured in clashes in northern Kosovo.
According to reports, Kosovo forces said they faced “unprovoked attacks” while confronting protesters, who tried to force their way into a government building in the northern town of Zvecan.
Hungary’s defense minister said in a statement on Facebook that “more than 20 Hungarian soldiers” were among the wounded members of the peacekeeping mission, seven of whom were in critical condition.
Italy’s foreign minister said three of its soldiers had been seriously wounded and the country’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called on the NATO alliance to “pull back on all sides to de-escalate tensions”.
On the other hand, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said that 52 Serbs were also injured, three of them in critical condition.
It should be noted that Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008, and Serbia and its main allies Russia and China refused to recognize it, preventing Kosovo from becoming a member of the United Nations.
Serbs living in Kosovo are largely pro-Serbian, especially in the north of Kosovo.
Kosovo Serbs boycotted last month’s elections in northern towns, which allowed ethnic Albanians to take control of local councils despite a turnout of less than 3.5 percent.
Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s government officially appointed the mayors last week, after repeated clashes between Serb protesters and NATO peacekeeping officials.
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2024-08-15 15:41:16
