YUGOSLAVIA: AT LEAST SEVEN FRENCH KFOR SOLDIERS, TWENTY SERBS AND THREE ALBANIANS ARE INJURED IN CLASHES IN MITROVICA

Record ID: 647855

  • Title: YUGOSLAVIA: AT LEAST SEVEN FRENCH KFOR SOLDIERS, TWENTY SERBS AND THREE ALBANIANS ARE INJURED IN CLASHES IN MITROVICA
  • Date: 7th March 2000
  • Summary: MITROVICA, KOSOVO, YUGOSLAVIA (MARCH 7, 2000) (REUTERS(A) - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV OF HOUSES ON SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN, ZOOM IN TO KFOR SOLDIER ON ROOF 0.10 2. SLV: KFOR ARMED TROOPS DEPLOYING ON BRIDGE 0.15 3. LV: KFOR ARMED SOLDIER ON UPPER FLOOR BALCONY OF HOUSE 0.21 4. PUSH IN: MILITARY RED CROSS VEHICLE DRIVES DOWN STREET 0.28 5. LONG VIEWS OF APARTMENTS AND HOUSE IN "LITTLE BOSNIA" (2 SHOTS) 0.39 6. SCU: SOUNDBITE (English) FRENCH KFOR SPOKESMAN PATRICK CHANLIAU: "For the moment we know that at a quarter to one, there were some incidents in the northern part of Mitrovica, in the quarter known as Little Bosnia. But for the moment it is impossible to know exactly what happened; I don't have any details. But we know that there have been injuries among Serbs, Albanian and KFOR soldiers as well." 1.09 7. SLV: ARMED KFOR SOLDIERS TALKING TO YOUTHS 1.15 8. MV/SV: ARMED KFOR SOLDIERS DEPLOYING (5 SHOTS) 1.39 9. GV: KFOR ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER DRVING DOWN STREET 1.55 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 22nd March 2000 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MITROVICA, KOSOVO, YUGOSLAVIA
  • City:
  • Country: Yugoslavia
  • Reuters ID: LVAA9AUU5O9CLAB6361U7U1B4J3R
  • Story Text: At least seven French KFOR soldiers, 20 Serbs and three
    Albanians have been injured in the predominantly Serb part of
    the divided Kosovo town of Mitrovica.

    KFOR said Tuesday's (March 7) incident started after a
    quarrel between Albanian and Serb youths in the so-called
    "little Bosnia" district of Mitrovica - an Albanian district
    in the otherwise Serb northern part of the city.

    A Reuters reporter at the scene said he saw at least six
    French soldiers and one captain injured when Albanians threw
    two explosive devices at soldiers who had surrounded an
    Albanian house from which there had been shooting.

    A spokesman said one Albanian fired a hunting rifle on a
    young Serb man and wounded him, and immediately after that
    Albanians from a courtyard lobbed two hand grenades.

    Some of the soldiers were evacuated to a nearby French
    military hospital.They were not thought to be badly hurt.A
    doctor at the hospital in northern Mitrovica, Marko Jaksic,
    said 20 Serbs had been injured.

    It was not clear whether the firing came from inside the
    district, heavily fortified by KFOR last week when it managed
    to return some Albanians to their homes there after a two-day
    standoff with angry Serbs.

    KFOR had put on a huge show of force to get the Albanians
    back to their homes through a gauntlet of angry Serbs, who
    said that having Albanians in their part of town was a threat
    to their safety.

    The Albanians had fled to the purely Albanian southern part
    of the town, which is divided by the River Ibar, last month
    after ethnic violence drove them from their homes.

    The shooting died down later on Tuesday.French KFOR
    spokesman Colonel Patrick Chanliau said French soldiers were
    still surrounding the house where the shooting had started.He
    also said two cars were burning and that a child was among the
    injured.

    Troops and U.N.police had reinforced the bridges dividing
    the town where Serbs and Albanians had gathered on their
    respective sides of the river.The atmosphere remained
    extremely tense but was quiet after the shooting finished.


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