BELGRADE (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd June, 2023) Monday's clashes with Serbian protesters in northern Kosovo were caused by the actions of Kosovar police, not the troops of NATO's local KFOR contingent, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Friday.
Earlier in the week, the media reported that the clashes occurred at the moment when KFOR soldiers began to push Serbian protesters away from Kosovar police vehicles.
"They don't show the moment when the clashes started. It was done by the police of self-proclaimed Kosovo, not NATO," Vucic told the Prva broadcaster.
On Monday, thousands of Kosovo Serbs came to the local administration buildings in the municipalities of Zvecan, Leposaviq and Zubin Potok, demanding the withdrawal of Kosovar police and the removal of ethnic Albanian mayors who took office following elections with an extremely low voter turnout of under 3.5% boycotted by the Serbs. Troops of NATO's local KFOR contingent, equipped with crowd dispersal devices, were also deployed. Police used tear gas to break up the demonstrations and escort the mayors into town halls.
At least 52 Serbs were injured in Monday's clashes in Kosovo, Vucic said. Media reported that some 41 soldiers from the KFOR contingent were also injured, while the mission itself confirmed only 25 troops injured.
