French peace-keepers are stoned by Serb crowds in new clashes at Mitrovica bridge
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Nato Peace-keepers came under a hail of stones, rocks and bricks from hardline Serbs yesterday as they mounted an operation to break the deadlock in the racially divided city of Mitrovica.
French soldiers and policemen fired dozens of rounds of tear-gas as well as stun-grenades at an estimated 500 Serbs who had gathered to protest against French moves to block Serb access to an ethnically mixed area of Mitrovica known as Little Bosnia. At least six Serbs were injured, two seriously, as well as one French soldier and two journalists, one British and one German.
The operation began at 6am, when 250 French troops, accompanied by Italian and French police, stormed over the main eastern bridge in Mitrovica in armoured vehicles. Four "bridgekeepers" - as the unofficial Serbian security network in northern Mitrovica is known - were removed peaceably from their positions by the French, who then erected barbed-wire barricades outside Little Bosnia.
The Serbian response was not slow in coming. Led by a wave of women hurling stones and bricks, some carrying iron bars, a mob stormed the French troops, who responded by firing tear-gas and stun-grenades into the crowd.
"I will not let my children be used as targets," screamed one Serbian woman, while another claimed Nato peacekeepers had been deployed "to drive us from our homes". Oliver Ivanovic, the self-styled Serbian mayor of northern Mitrovica, shouted that Nato's K-For troops were intent on allowing "Albanian terrorists" into northern Mitrovica.
Two Serbs hit by French stun-grenades were taken to a Serbian hospital for "major surgery", according to hospital sources. The injured British journalist was named as Andrew Gray, from Lanark, Strathclyde, a correspondent for the Reuters news agency. He was taken to hospital with a broken nose and bruising.
Yesterday's operation followed assurances from senior Nato officials that they would not allow Serb-dominated northern Mitrovica to become a enclave where Albanians could not venture without risk of major injury or death.
Twelve Serbs and Albanians have been killed, and nearly 110 people injured, including Nato peace-keepers, in clashes in Mitrovica since the beginning of February.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments