BREAKING: Five explosions rock northern Kosovo cities of Zubin Potok and Mitrovica

BREAKING: Five explosions rock northern Kosovo cities of Zubin Potok and Mitrovica

Five explosions rock northern Kosovo cities of Zubin Potok and Mitrovica

Kosov Police have confirmed that explosions occurred in the cities of Zubin Potok and Mitrovica in the North of the country.

Large explosions have been heard in two cities in northern Kosovo this afternoon, Tuesday, December 6. This was confirmed by Kosovo Police, who said the blasts occurred in the municipalities of Zubin Potok and Mitrovica North.

https://twitter.com/gchahal/status/1600145665517944834?s=20&t=mwPJVhxE0xfm1PckGFf4SQ

According to local Serbian media, two of the explosions were heard in Zubin Potok, while three more were reported in North Mitrovica. Both municipalities are inhabited by a majority of Serbs. Sirens were said to be sounding at around 3pm in Mitrovica, as reported by rtklive.com.

Serbian media sources reported that the explosions in Zubin Potok occurred at the time when members of the Municipal Electoral Commission, under the escort of members of the Kosovo Police, entered the premises of the municipal facility.

Previously, according to them, members of the Municipal Electoral Commission, in the presence of the Kosovo Police, tried to enter the headquarters of the Electoral Commission in this municipality.

The Central Election Commission confirmed for REL that the municipal election officials went to their offices in North Mitrovica and Zubin Potok on Tuesday, “in order to exercise official duties”, but that such a thing “was not possible”.

Without giving more details, they warned that they will hold a meeting “to discuss the situation created in the north of the country”. Elections are due to take place on December 18 in Zubin Potok, North Mitrovica, Zvecan, and Leposaviq, as announced by Vjosa Osmani, the President of Kosovo.

Lista Serbe – the largest party of Serbs in Kosovo, which is supported by official Belgrade – opposes these elections. The Director of the Office for Kosovo in the Government of Serbia, Petar Petkovic, accused the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, of, as he said, “terror” against the Serbs.

In a post on Twitter, he published several photographs showing, as he said, the premises of the Municipal Electoral Commission in North Mitrovica, “destroyed by the special forces” of Kosovo. 

Through a communique for the media, published earlier, Petkovic said that Kurti’s goal is to “violently and with weapons seize the four municipalities in the north” and “install Albanian representatives in them, through illegal and illegitimate elections”.

“Everything was planned and directed by Albin Kurti, while the EU-Western Balkans summit is being held in Tirana”, said Petkovic.

 

In a statement on its official Facebook profile, the police reported: “The Kosovo Police, according to its official duty and legal authorisations, is continuously engaged in the provision of security, maintaining public order and tranquillity as well as taking police measures to comfort the situation and developments across the country, including about the developments in North Mitrovica”.

“The Central Election Commission (CEC), based on the Constitution and the laws of the country, and also based on interinstitutional cooperation, has requested the Kosovo Police for assistance regarding preparations for holding local elections in the municipalities in the north of the country”.
 
“On this occasion, the Kosovo Police informs public opinion on security developments in the north of the country that, today, December 6, 2022, in the municipalities of Zubin Potok and Mitrovica North, the police units of public order have accompanied the officials of the Commission Communal electoral ion at the offices of the municipal commission electoral, which are located in the municipalities of Zubin Potok and Mitrovica North in order to perform their legal duties and powers”.
 
“In the early hours of this afternoon, in some areas of Zubin Potok and North Mitrovica, several incidents have been recorded (shootings and explosions are suspected), but so far no injuries have been reported from these incidents, as far as reports investigate that protesters have demolished the offices of the municipal election commission”.
 
“The Kosovo Police are currently monitoring and assessing the security situation in the country and taking necessary measures to enforce the law and decisions of Kosovo’s state authorities”.

___________________________________________________________

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Written by

Chris King

Originally from Wales, Chris spent years on the Costa del Sol before moving to the Algarve where he is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com

Comments