KFOR Statement: Around 25 wounded from multinational contingent

(Patria) - During the intervention of KFOR troops in northern Kosovo, in the municipality of Zvečan, many members of the international forces were injured in clashes with demonstrators.

Around 25 from the multinational contingent were wounded while suppressing demonstrators protesting in the municipality of Zvečan.

This afternoon, KFOR units were deployed in four municipalities in northern Kosovo to contain the violence.

The demonstrations followed attempts by newly elected mayors in northern Kosovo to take office in recent days.

"While confronting the violence of the crowd, several soldiers of the Italian and Hungarian KFOR contingents were subjected to unprovoked attacks and sustained injuries including fractures and burns from the explosion of incendiary devices. They were immediately treated by KFOR medical units and are currently under the observation of medical personnel assessing their condition," KFOR stated.

The commander of the KFOR mission, Major General Angelo Michele Ristuccia, is personally monitoring the situation and expresses his sympathy to the men and women of the mission who were injured during the clashes.

He emphasized that unprovoked attacks on NATO units are unacceptable and stressed that KFOR will continue to carry out its mandate impartially.

The head of Italian diplomacy, Antonio Tajani, expressed his solidarity with the KFOR mission soldiers injured in Kosovo during clashes between Serbian demonstrators and the Kosovo police.

Among them, he stated, were 11 Italians, three of whom sustained serious injuries.

The Italian army, Tajani stated, continues to advocate for peace.