Ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo clashed with police at a municipal building on Monday as they tried to take over one of the local communes where ethnic Albanian mayors entered last week with the help of authorities.
The violence was the latest incident as tensions soared over the past week, with Serbia putting the country’s military on high alert and sending more troops to the border with Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008.
Police said that Serbs gathered early in the morning at the three communes in the north - Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok - and in Zvecan they tried to enter violently using tear gas in their efforts to get into the public buildings. Police responded with tear gas spray, a statement said. KFOR said it has increased its presence in the four municipalities, including Mitrovica, “to ensure a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all communities in Kosovo.” It called on all sides “to refrain from actions that could inflame tensions or cause escalation” and urged both “Belgrade and Pristina to engage in the EU-led dialogue to reduce tensions and as the only way to peace and normalization.
The U.S. and the EU condemned Kosovo’s government for using police to forcibly enter the municipal buildings. However, any attempt by Serbia to send its troops over the border would mean a clash with NATO troops stationed there.
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