Barriers go up in Zvecan

Troops from the Nato-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo yesterday placed metal fences and barbed wire barriers in a northern town following clashes with ethnic Serbs that left 30 international soldiers wounded. Hundreds of ethnic Serbs began gathering in front of the city hall in Zvecan, 45 kilometres north of the capital, Pristina, in their repeated efforts to take over the offices of one of the municipalities where ethnic Albanian mayors took up their posts last week. Nato has decided to send 700 more troops to northern Kosovo to help quell violent protests after the clashes on Monday. The confrontation unfolded last week after ethnic Albanian officials who were elected in a vote overwhelmingly boycotted by Serbs entered municipal buildings to take office. When Serbs tried to block them, Kosovo police fired tear gas to disperse them in Zvecan, leading to clashes with Nato-led troops. Ethnic Serbs have insisted that both ethnic Albanian mayors and Kosovo police must leave northern Kosovo.