Balkans | Albanians stage a demonstration in Mitrovica, northern Kosovo

In Mitrovica, in northern Kosovo, Albanians unhappy with recent tensions in the region demonstrated.

More than 100 people took part in the demonstration, which took place in the southern region of Mitrovica, where Albanians make up the majority.

The demonstrators raised Kosovo and Albanian flags and chanted slogans in support of the Kosovo Liberation Army and against Serbia.

Egzon Islam, who participated in the demonstration, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that they gathered to express their anger at the events in northern Kosovo.

The problem in northern Kosovo, Islami said, is more about politics and can be solved, “After 23 years of war, we have had enough of them since 100 years of their occupation.” Use phrases.

Kosovo police and NATO’s Kosovo Peacekeeping Force (KFOR) teams tightened security around the bridge, with the demonstration taking place on the main bridge over the Ibri River, which separates the Albanian and Serbian parts of the city.

The parade, which lasted about an hour, ended without incident.

The divided city: Mitrovica

Although it has been 24 years since the end of the war in Kosovo and 15 years since the declaration of independence, Mitrovica, where Albanians live in the south and Serbs in the north, remains a “divided city”.

The main bridge over the River Ebre, which divides the city into two parts as the south and the north, is closed to vehicular traffic and can only be crossed by pedestrians.

In the municipalities of Zvecan, Zubin Potok and Leposavić, where Serbs are concentrated in northern Kosovo, Kosovo Serbs on May 26 protested against Albanian mayors who won local elections on April 23, and a clash occurred between the Kosovo Police and Kosovo Serbs.

On 29 May, 30 KFOR soldiers were injured when Kosovo Serbs clashed with KFOR soldiers who were guarding municipal buildings.

AA