Series of incidents rock Kosovska Mitrovica
A series of incidents in Kosovska Mitrovica, which began with the stabbing of a Serbian boy a week ago, have left a dozen wounded
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Monday, January 05, 2009
In the latest incident, two Serbs were beaten up by group of 20 Albanians on Sunday evening after their car broke down and they tried to repair it.
Kosovo Serbs Bato Djordjevic, 32, and Petar Gusinic, 33, reported to a local hospital with light injuries in the wake of the incident.
"According to a statement they gave to the police, they were attacked by a group of some 20 Albanians, after their car broke down and they were forced to stop in this part of Kosovska Mitrovica. The car was damaged, and they were lightly injured," deputy police chief Predrag Vasovic said.
He added that the KPS had started an investigation into the case.
Reports said that police intervention prevented a more serious confrontation. Due to a wave of unrest KFOR has been in control of the town for the past three days, but Vasovic said they failed to react last night.
"Unfortunately, KFOR's reaction was missing. Based on what the patrol policemen told us, they were nearby, but did not react," he said, adding his office is in communication with KFOR trying to find out the reason for this.
Previously, in separate incidents, six firefighters were injured by a suspected grenade blast, several Serb cars were damaged in explosions, and two Albanian shops set ablaze.
Marko Jaksic, director of the hospital in Kosovska Mitrovica North, who is also Vice-President of the Community of Serb Municipalities of Kosovo, evaluated that the incidents were a continuation of the pressure imposed on the Serb community in Mitrovica aimed at driving them out of the town.
