KOSOVO: KFOR troops seal Border between Serbia and Kosovo

Record ID: 789103

  • Title: KOSOVO: KFOR troops seal Border between Serbia and Kosovo
  • Date: 20th February 2008
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) TRUCK DRIVER LJUBISA RAKOVIC, SAYING: "Im here since eight o'clock last night, I was sleeping at the border. They told me that they will let me through in 24 hours but I am not sure." MORE CAR WRECKS (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) MAN WAITING TO CROSS BORDER SAYING: "Is there any other way out of here?"
  • Embargoed: 6th March 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations,Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVA5GSO5UZ267WL465FNS1ZLR4ID
  • Story Text: Border between Serbia and Kosovo closed by KFOR troops one day after border posts were destroyed by Serbs who refuse to submit to the authority of Kosovo's Albanian government.
    NATO troops and United Nations police secured Kosovo's northern borders late on Wednesday (February 20) , facing down a challenge by ethnic Serbs who ransacked the crossings in protest at Kosovo's independence.
    Some 40 NATO peacekeepers, from France and the United States, have put up coils of razor wire across the Jarinje border post that was burnt down on Tuesday.
    A Polish UN special police unit was standing by in full riot gear, a Reuters witness said.
    Jarinje was one of two border posts between Kosovo and Serbia attacked and set on fire by Kosovo Serbs, who came to the border from the Serb-dominated northwest corner of Kosovo.
    NATO said it was securing the other crossing, known as Gate 3-1, north of Zubin Potok town.
    Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on Sunday (February 17), a move already recognized by the United States and major European Union powers but strongly opposed by Serbia and Russia.
    The attacks highlighted the challenge facing a E.U law-enforcement mission preparing to deploy in the Albanian-majority territory which has been under U.N.
    administration for nearly nine years.

    "Im here since eight o'clock last night, I was leeping at the border. They told me that they will let me through in twenty four hours but I am not sure." said truck driver Ljubisa Rakovic. "Is there any other way out of here?" asked another man waiting to cross over.
    At the border post known as Gate 1 in Jarinje police and U.N. vehicles were set on fire on Tuesday (February 19).
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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