Four injured in Novi Pazar clashes

Two rival groups of Serbian Muslims have clashed outside the Altum-alem mosque in Novi Pazar. One person received gunshot wounds during the troubles, while two policemen and another civilian were hurt from stones hurled. Four injured in Novi Pazar clashes Police General Mladen Kuribak told Tanjug that four people had received minor injuries during the clashes that took place at around midday today. “Two police officers and one citizen were struck by stones and bricks, while one civilian was shot,” said Kuribak. According to him, the situation in Novi Pazar had been brought under control. The police’s arrival averted an escalation of the violence in front of the mosque, said the police officer, adding that prayers were over and that citizens had dispersed, though the police had remained in front of the mosque. An investigation is under way into what started the incident, said Kuribak. Current reis Adem Zilkic’s supporters who have been praying outside the mosque since November 6, today tried to enter the building, and were stopped by a group loyal to former reis Muamer Zukorlic, who were already inside. The police intervened and are currently blocking access to the building. The feud over the mosque has been going on for 10 days, ever since the Islamic Community led by Zukorlic undertook renovations to the building, a move slammed by Adem Zilkic’s supporters. Islamic Community President in Novi Pazar Sead Sacirovic said that “the police were standing at the front door, a gunshot was heard and Eko Bisevac, who was standing in the mosque’s courtyard, fell to the ground.” “When a group of people led by Hasib Suljevic, an imam loyal to Zilkic, tried to enter the courtyard of the mosque guarded by supporters of the Serbian Islamic Community led by Zukorlic, they started hurling stones at us and injured Bisevac,” said Sacirovic. “I stress that absolutely no-one from our side fired any shots,” he added. According to unofficial reports, Bisevac was hit in the collar bone and is currently in the Surgical Department at Novi Pazar Health Center. A police inspector, Jasmin Dustinac, was also injured when struck in the head by, it is thought, a stone. Dustinac was standing at the mosque’s front door. Sacirovic added that one other person had been injured who had been standing in the courtyard at the time, although he did not know whether by a bullet or a stone. In a statement, the Serbian Islamic Community said that it condemned the attack on worshipers who had been praying in the mosque’s courtyard. Worshipers had tried to enter the mosque to make way for passing traffic, according to the statement, adding that prayers had been led by Suljevic. “That’s when they were attacked by supporters of Zukorlic, who threw stones and fired shots into the crowd, and in so doing, injured several people, including members of the police,” the statement claimed. Police officers in front of the Altum-alem mosque (Beta)

Four injured in Novi Pazar clashes

Police General Mladen Kuribak told Tanjug that four people had received minor injuries during the clashes that took place at around midday today.

“Two police officers and one citizen were struck by stones and bricks, while one civilian was shot,” said Kuribak. According to him, the situation in Novi Pazar had been brought under control.

The police’s arrival averted an escalation of the violence in front of the mosque, said the police officer, adding that prayers were over and that citizens had dispersed, though the police had remained in front of the mosque.

An investigation is under way into what started the incident, said Kuribak.

Current reis Adem Zilkić’s supporters who have been praying outside the mosque since November 6, today tried to enter the building, and were stopped by a group loyal to former reis Muamer Zukorlić, who were already inside. The police intervened and are currently blocking access to the building.

The feud over the mosque has been going on for 10 days, ever since the Islamic Community led by Zukorlić undertook renovations to the building, a move slammed by Adem Zilkić’s supporters.

Islamic Community President in Novi Pazar Sead Šaćirović said that “the police were standing at the front door, a gunshot was heard and Eko Biševac, who was standing in the mosque’s courtyard, fell to the ground.”

“When a group of people led by Hasib Suljević, an imam loyal to Zilkić, tried to enter the courtyard of the mosque guarded by supporters of the Serbian Islamic Community led by Zukorlić, they started hurling stones at us and injured Biševac,” said Šaćirović.

“I stress that absolutely no-one from our side fired any shots,” he added.

According to unofficial reports, Biševac was hit in the collar bone and is currently in the Surgical Department at Novi Pazar Health Center.

A police inspector, Jasmin Duštinac, was also injured when struck in the head by, it is thought, a stone. Duštinac was standing at the mosque’s front door.

Šaćirović added that one other person had been injured who had been standing in the courtyard at the time, although he did not know whether by a bullet or a stone.

In a statement, the Serbian Islamic Community said that it condemned the attack on worshipers who had been praying in the mosque’s courtyard.

Worshipers had tried to enter the mosque to make way for passing traffic, according to the statement, adding that prayers had been led by Suljević.

“That’s when they were attacked by supporters of Zukorlić, who threw stones and fired shots into the crowd, and in so doing, injured several people, including members of the police,” the statement claimed.