KOSOVO: MITROVICA: ETHNIC TENSIONS CONTINUE скачать в хорошем качестве

KOSOVO: MITROVICA: ETHNIC TENSIONS CONTINUE

(9 Apr 2000) English/Nat Ethnic tensions continue to simmer in Kosovo. NATO peacemakers remain on high alert around the Ibar bridge on Sunday after K-FOR soldiers fired dozens of tear gas rounds to avoid a clash between ethnic Albanians and Serbs in the divided city. Several hundred Serbs, mostly living in the northern sector, crossed the main bridge over the Ibar River into the southern part where hundreds of Albanians gathered with flags. According to French K-FOR Spokesman, Patrick Chanliaeu three Albanian OSCE members narrowly escaped an attack by a large group of Serbs after crossing the bridge to the northern bank of the Ibar River. Both sides hurled stones at each other, but peacekeepers, their ranks reinforced by anti-riot teams, managed to keep them apart at a distance of 50 metres. It was not immediately clear what caused the new tensions in this volatile Kosovo city, but the Serbs eventually retreated. Several Serbs and at least one French soldier were wounded and carried away on stretchers. The bridges over the Ibar River have been hotly contested, and merely crossing from one side to the other is considered a difficult, if not dangerous task, despite the presence of NATO troops. Riots and other clashes have erupted sporadically in recent weeks, as Serbs protested the return of ethnic Albanians to their homes on the north side. A new footbridge set up late last month links the south with three apartment buildings where ethnic Albanians live under the guard of NATO troops. SOUNDBITE: (English) "Three OSCE members, Albanian, went across the bridge, in the northern bank of the Ibar River, and as they arrived on the northern bank they were attacked by so-called bridge watchers and suddenly, very suddenly, a part of Serbs gathered - about one hundred Serbs to run after those three guys. And so the three Albanians escaped, but K-FOR very quickly reacted to prevent any confrontation." SUPER CAPTION: Patrick Chanliaeu, French K-FOR Spokesman Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...