New Serbian Protests in North Kosovo – US Calls for Moderation “Unnecessarily Aggressive”: Chinese Plane Presses US Plane

Protests by the Serb minority broke out again in northern Kosovo on Wednesday. Meetings were held in the towns of Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok to demand the departure of the Kosovo police force and the removal of new mayors from their posts.

According to reports from the news portal koha.net, it initially remained silent. Kosovo, now almost exclusively inhabited by Albanians, declared independence in 2008. Serbia does not recognize this and demands the return of its former province.

Serious clashes broke out in Zvecan on Monday between militant Serbs and soldiers of the NATO-led KFOR protection force, which currently protects city offices. 30 KFOR soldiers and 50 Serbs were wounded. NATO has now announced that it will add 700 military personnel to the current 3,800 troops. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for moderation on all sides.

The situation escalated last Friday. Militant Serbs attacked Kosovo police in Zvecan, who were escorting the new Albanian mayor to office. Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti blamed US broadcaster CNN on a “mob of extremists, paid for and directed from Belgrade” for the riots.

“As long as there is a violent mob in front of the official buildings, I need a police force that defends the rule of law and ensures order,” he added. (sda/dpa)