In the violent clashes between NATO soldiers and Serbian demonstrators in Zvecan, in the north of Kosovo, 41 soldiers, 11 of them Italian, of the NATO intervention force KFOR were wounded. Three of the 11 Italians injured were serious but not life-threatening: they would have suffered burns and fractures. Some were hit by Molotov cocktails or other incendiary devices. This information, learned from qualified sources, says the situation is still tense and the most violent circle of demonstrators is under control. Three other Italian soldiers would have reported “exposed fractures”.
What happened
Soldiers from the NATO force KFOR in Kosovo intervened in Zvecan, a city center in northern Kosovo, to disperse Serb demonstrators who have been demonstrating in front of the local town hall since this morning to protest the inauguration of the new mayor. Albanian ethnicity. Zvecan is one of the four largest municipalities in Serb-majority Kosovo, led by new mayors of Albanian ethnicity, and was elected on 23 April: the vote would actually be against the Serbian candidates. According to the Kossev portal, KFOR intervened when the crowd did not allow two private vehicles of the Kosovo police, which had been blocked among the demonstrators since morning, despite the calls of its political leaders. Protesters are calling for the withdrawal of all special police in the town hall, and some media outlets say gunshots were heard.
And this is not an isolated case: similar protests continue in Zubin Potok and Leposavic. The KFOR army uses stun grenades in Zvecan to disperse demonstrators who responded by throwing stones, bottles and other objects at NATO troops. The KFOR intervention followed a warning to the demonstrators to disperse, but to no avail. In addition, Serbia would place the army on the border.
response of institutions
Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said, “Wishing the Italian, Hungarian and Moldavian NATO KFOR soldiers injured in the conflict in Kosovo a close and speedy recovery.” The Department of Defense writes on Twitter.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also thought of our wounded soldiers in Kosovo: “I would like to express my solidarity with the KFOR mission soldiers who were injured in the clashes between Serbian demonstrators and the Kosovo police in Kosovo. Italian soldiers continue their attacks. They dedicate themselves to peace.”
(Updating news)
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Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
