Kosovo: Erneute Unruhen in Mitrovica, deutsche Soldaten im Einsatz

 

Im Norden des Kosovo, in der zwischen Albanern und serbischen Kosovaren geteilten Stadt Mitrovica, ist es am (heutigen) Sonntag erneut zu schweren Auseinandersetzungen gekommen. Die Gewalt ging von der albanischen Bevölkerungsmehrheit des Kosovo aus, wie Reuters berichtet:

Police in Kosovo fired tear gas and rubber bullets on Sunday at ethnic Albanian rioters burning police cars and lobbing rocks in the ethnically-divided town of Mitrovica, in protest over the blockage of the main bridge by ethnic Serbs.
A Reuters reporter saw Polish special police units, part of a European Union mission, open fire with rubber bullets, during one of the worst bouts of civil unrest since Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008.
A police spokesman said six police officers and 10 civilians had been wounded. „The situation is changing rapidly,“ he said.

Zur Rolle der NATO-Truppe KFOR (und den Aufgaben der deutschen Kompanie) etwas mehr Informationen von KFOR selbst:

In reference to the today’s protest organized in Mitrovica South, the Kosovo Police operated in a properly manner and was able to contain a very big protest showing great professionalism, effectiveness and capability in managing the situation in an appropriate way.
KFOR deployed with a robust posture on Austerlitz Bridge with a US company in the middle of the bridge itself and Carabinieri Units on the north side.
An additional KFOR German company, pre-deployed in the vicinity of the spot, was called in to intervene as soon as few elements started to threat or to use violence, and reinforced the already positioned troops on the ground.
[KFOR- Commander] General Farina explained that the main effort was to avoid inter-ethnic clashes and escalation of violence.
Kosovo Police was in the “front line” backed by EULEX units with KFOR acting as third responder to avoid contact between elements of the south being in contact in the north part of the bridge.

Mehr Details (und Bilder) gibt es bei der Deutschen Welle.

Ein (wenn auch nicht sehr aussagekräftiges) Video:


(Direktlink: http://youtu.be/6B1PBch7_Lc)