YUGOSLAVIA: BUS CARRYING 38 AMERICAN U.N. POLICE OFFICERS ARRIVES IN MITROVICA/ U.S. FORCES CARRY OUT LIVE FIRING EXERCISES IN KOSOVO

Record ID: 230269

  • Title: YUGOSLAVIA: BUS CARRYING 38 AMERICAN U.N. POLICE OFFICERS ARRIVES IN MITROVICA/ U.S. FORCES CARRY OUT LIVE FIRING EXERCISES IN KOSOVO
  • Date: 26th February 2000
  • Summary: MITROVICA, KOSOVO, YUGOSLAVIA (FEBRUARY 26, 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV/MV: U.N. SOLDIERS DEPLOYED (2 SHOTS) 0.10 2. SLV: TANK DEPLOYING 0.16 3. MV/SV: U.N. OFFICERS SEARCHING CAR AND CITIZEN (2 SHOTS) 0.28 4. SLV/MV: U.N. APC AND TROOPS PATROLLING (2 SHOTS) 0.38 5. SLV/CU: U.N. OFFICERS SPRAYING LINE ON ROAD (3 SHOTS) 0.52 6. MV/SV:BUS CARRYING AMERICAN U.N. POLICE REINFORCEMENTS PARKED IN SOUTHERN SECTOR OF TOWN; OFFICERS GOING INTO BUS (3 SHOTS) 1.09 7. CU: SOUNDBITE (English) PHILIPPE PACAUD, U.N. POLICE MEDIA OFFICER SAYING: "The situation has calmed down, but we are very well to be ready in case of any problem." 1.25 8. MV/SV/LV: AMERICAN U.N. POLICE OFFICERS SEATED ON BUS; BUS DRIVING DOWN STREET (3 SHOTS) 1.43 9. MV/LV/SLV: KFOR TROOPS AND TANKS DEPLOYED IN TOWN (3 SHOTS) 1.58 10. SV/SLV: PEOPLE BUYING EGGS AND OTHER FOOD AS KFOR TROOPS PATROL (3 SHOTS) 2.18 11. SLV: DRIVER SITTING IN TANK, SMOKING A CIGARETTE 2.23 12. VARIOUS: MORE OF STREET SCENES AND KFOR DEPLOYED (4 SHOTS) 2.44 OUTSIDE CAMP BONDSTEEL, NEAR VIPINA, KOSOVO, YUGOSLAVIA (FEBRUARY 26, 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 13. VARIOUS OF U.S. KFOR TANKS MANOEUVRING ON HILL (2 SHOTS) 2.56 14. VARIOUS: U.S. SOLDIERS PREPARING WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT (5 SHOTS) 3.28 15. VARIOUS: TANKS MOVING INTO POSTIONS AND FIRING LIVE ROUNDS AT TARGETS (13 SHOTS) 4.37 16. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. CAPTAIN SCOTT WHITMAN SAYING: "This is our first day of training here on (indistinct) range here in Kosovo. What I'm doing today is verifying that the weapons systems on board my tanks, the main guns and as you can hear the small arms, and it's a great day for my guys to come out here and do this kind of training." 4.54 17. LV: TANKS LINED UP 4.59 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 12th March 2000 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MITROVICA AND NEAR VIPINA, KOSOVO; YUGOSLAVIA
  • City:
  • Country: Yugoslavia
  • Reuters ID: LVAXELFW81YCF0E5Q1WQZS4APH7
  • Story Text: A bus carrying 38 American U.N.police officers has
    arrived in the divided Kosovan town of Mitrovica, while U.S.

    forces elsewhere in the province have been carrying out live
    firing exercises.

    The U.S.police officers who arrived on Saturday
    (February 26) are the first of an expected 800 additional
    reinforcements who will go to Mitrovica in the coming weeks.

    Another 26 Americans were to arrive later on Saturday to help
    keep peace between the rival Serbian and Albanian factions who
    live on opposite sides of the river that divides the town.

    German Interior Minister Otto Schily announced on Friday
    in Pristina that Germany will send an additional 420 police to
    Kosovo.

    The fact that the first new arrivals are American is bound
    to raise concerns among the Serbian residents of Mitrovica.

    Serbs accused American KFOR troops of using heavy-handed
    tactics against civilians last week while carrying out
    house-to-house searches for weapons.

    Groups of angry Serbian residents pelted U.S.KFOR
    vehicles with rocks, causing the Americans to make a hasty
    retreat from the town.The French press officer for the U.N.

    police in Mitrovica, Philippe Pacaud, said that there is a
    need for reinforcements in both the Serbian and Albanian
    sectors of the town and confirmed that the Americans would be
    patrolling in both sectors.

    KFOR forces in Kosovo conducted 'live fire' tank exercises
    on Saturday to keep their weapons in top working order in case
    of any emergency.Five tanks and 20 U.S.soldiers from the 1st
    battalion, 63rd armoured division, conducted the exercises
    outside the U.S.base at Camp Bondsteel, near Vipina.

    Captain Scott Whitman said it was great to carry out such
    training.
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