Thousands of Serbs living in northern Kosovo have gathered in front of town halls to protest appointment of ethnic Albanian mayors. The NATO Kosovo Force (KFOR) deployed soldiers near town halls of Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok. Kosovo security forces are deployed behind KFOR soldiers. Earlier in the day, KFOR called on both sides to refrain from actions that could escalate tensions.
According to the Kosovo online news agency, KFOR fighters took members of the Serb List, a Serb minority political party in Kosovo, behind their cordon.
Tear gas has been used against protesters, and doctors are treating victims. In addition, dozens of stun grenades were reportedly used, and shots were heard. The news agency also reported that two ethnic Serbs got injured in the clashes.
The tensions escalated after Kosovo authorities attempted to appoint Albanians as mayors in the north of the province following the April 23 elections for local self-government bodies. On Friday, Kosovar police used tear gas to break up peaceful demonstrations by ethnic Serbs protesting the outcome of the elections and stormed several municipal buildings. The elections were boycotted by ethnic Serbs and declared valid despite a 3.5% voter turnout.
On Saturday, Serbia's National Security Council condemned the NATO-led KFOR for standing by while Kosovar police used force to install new Albanian mayors in the Serb-majority northern provinces.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Friday put the Serbian army on high alert because of the situation in Kosovo and Metohija due to the unilateral steps taken by Pristina. He also demanded that NATO "urgently stop violence against Serbs."