“NATO forces injured in clashes with Serb demonstrators in Kosovo”

EAround 25 members of the force led by NATO (KFOR) were injured Monday during clashes in northern Kosovo, where Serb demonstrators are demanding the withdrawal of Albanian mayors, KFOR said in a statement.

Several soldiers from the Italian and Hungarian contingents of KFOR “were the targets of unprovoked attacks and suffered traumatic injuries with broken bones and burns from the explosion of incendiary devices” by “containing the most active fringes from the crowd,” the multinational force said in a statement.

“NATO strongly condemns the unprovoked attacks against KFOR troops in northern Kosovo, which left a number of people injured. These attacks are completely unacceptable. The violence must stop immediately,” an Alliance spokesperson said.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her “strongest condemnation” on Monday evening after the “absolutely unacceptable and irresponsible attack against the KFOR mission”, during which “Italian soldiers been injured”.

“We will not tolerate further attacks against KFOR. It is fundamental to avoid further unilateral actions by the Kosovar authorities and that all parties take an immediate step back to reduce tensions,” she added in a statement. Eleven Italian soldiers were injured, including “three are in serious condition,” Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in a tweet.