9.14.2005

Kosovo heating up, part I



Little by little. Especially in Strpce. From a letter:

"Yes, it's the monument just before the small bridge. See photo attached. There are no rumours, but both scenarios are possible. One thing is for sure, the Kosovo Serbs from ST did not do this. No one would be stupid enough to drive by the KFOR checkpoint in Drajkovce, blow up the monument and drive back having in mind the fact that KFOR logs inall vehicles passing through the checkpoint.

They would have been identified and apprehended quite easily. It is not excluded that Kosovo Serbs from LI did it as a revenge for their fellow citizens killed on 27 August. But it is also very likely that theKosovo Albanians did this in order to draw the attention of the IC from the aforementioned incident that occurred on 27 August and show the world thatthey are also the victims of Kosovo Serbs.

This scenario is possible also due to the fact that the SRSG was visiting ST that day and he had to pass right next to the destroyed monument. However, the destruction of the monument was not the peek of the weekend. At 23:40hrs the same day (9 September) a KPS patrol was attacked in the same area. Three Kosovo Serb KPS Officers were conducting a regular mobile patrol when their vehicle was ambushed with stones placed on the road. Fortunately they realized what's going on and instead of stopping theystepped on the gas pedal and drove through the barricades. They were opened fire upon and one of them(the driver) got a bullet in his shoulder.

They managed to drive out of the area without sustaining further injuries. There is a heavy security presence on the road between ST and the main PR-SK highway. I was driving there [deleted] in a [deleted] vehicle when I got stopped by UNMIK CIVPOL and told that it is not safe for International vehicles to drive through and that I should wait for KFOR escort. I thanked them, but decided to got through my self. It's getting more and more interesting by the day. Some Kosovo Serbs from ST are starting to lose their patience and I'm afraid might do something stupidwhich would only complicate the already very complex and fragile situation in ST. "

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