Checkpoint Jarinje in northern Kosovo set on fire

The checkpoint of Jarinje on the administrative line between Kosovo and central Serbia has been set on fire, reports said. The incidents, described as serious, started at after 19:00 CET. Checkpoint Jarinje in northern Kosovo set on fire "A group of several dozen young men" was identified in reports as the perpetrators that set the checkpoint facilities on fire. American KFOR troops moved in to the checkpoint in armored vehicles after 20:00 CET. There have been no reports of casualties. KFOR commander Erhard Buehler said that the situation in the north was under control, and that there was no information anyone was injured during the incidents. In Belgrade, Serbian Police Director reassured KFOR and EULEX that Serbian police would prevent the arrival of extremists from central Serbia to Kosovo. Serbia will not allow for violence in northern Kosovo and will offer support to members of KFOR and EULEX, said Veljovic. Previously, Tanjug news agency was describing chaotic scenes from and around Jarinje just before 20:00 CET. One of the news agency's cameramen was assaulted and injured on the Leposavic-Jarinje road. A Polish KFOR unit withdraw from the crossing, while American soldiers in armored vehicles are blocking the Jarinje-Kosovska Mitrovica road near Lesak. Meanwhile residents of Leposavic "en masse" headed toward the crossing in their cars. Earlier, Beta news agency reported that shots from automatic weapons were heard, and that Molotov cocktails were also thrown at a nearby KFOR camp, after which an explosion was heard. Thick black smoke was seen rising from that area, according to this. The attackers were described as "young men wearing hoods". Several hundred people were at the checkpoint. According to reports, the young men were Serbs who came "from the direction of Kosovska Mitrovica". They asked those gathered at the administrative line post to step away, and then started to demolish and burn the facilities. Serbian President Boris Tadic reacted quickly to the news by calling for an immediate end to violence at Jarinje. "Hooligans who are causing violence are not the ones who defend the citizens or the state of Serbia," said Tadic, and called on all Serbs in Kosovo to show restraint. Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic and Belgrade Kosovo talks team chief Borislav Stefanovic, who were at Brnjak, arrived at Jarinje. Bogdanovic strongly condemned the violence and called on Serbs not to allow groups of extremists to cause clashes. His state secretary at the ministry, Oliver Ivanovic, told Beta news agency that the key to peace in the north was in the hands of KFOR, and said the NATO-led force should occupy main positions "and not allow Kosovo police special units to arrive at this part of the province". Ivanovic also stated that the incident was "expected, because Serbs are not a nation that will allow anyone to humiliate and degrade them". Stefanovic condemned the attacks as a criminal act that took place "when we were on the brink of finding a solution". "Minister Bogdanovic and I will together with municipal president and with Serbs who support us do everything to resolve this matter so that nobody uses it against us," said he, and added: "A long, difficult night is ahead of us." The two checkpoints were last set on fire in early 2008, after ethnic Albanians in Kosovo unilaterally declared independence. The crisis in northern Kosovo started late on Monday when the Kosovo Albanian authorities decided to attempt to take over Jarinje and Brnjak. Speaking at Brnjak earlier in the day, Serbian officials called on KFOR to honor an agreement reached on Tuesday, that was supposed to diffuse the flare-up in tensions and violence. Jarinje on Wednesday evening (Tanjug) Order to be "quickly restored" KFOR issued a statement this evening to say that "after a day of demonstration, the situation deteriorated" at Jarinje. The statement said that "an act of arson was committed against that position by unknown persons", while there were "confirmed reports of shots fired at KFOR personnel in the vicinity". The NATO-led force said tha tit would be "reinforced during the evening in order to prevent further escalation of the situation". "This will be an ongoing process and KFOR expects that after this reinforcement order will be quickly restored," the statement said. It also noted that KFOR commander Erhard Buehler on Wednesday "participated in several meetings with political leaders from both sides in order to negotiate a solution along the lines of yesterday’s three-point statement". The statement lists the points as return of all KPS Rosu units to southern Kosovo, removal of Serb roadblocks, while at Jarinje, "'normal' Kosovo police officers of both ethnicities will be posted". Buehler's appeal to "all peaceful people of Kosovo to abstain from violence and to support a peaceful solution to the current crisis" was also quoted.

Checkpoint Jarinje in northern Kosovo set on fire

"A group of several dozen young men" was identified in reports as the perpetrators that set the checkpoint facilities on fire.

American KFOR troops moved in to the checkpoint in armored vehicles after 20:00 CET.

There have been no reports of casualties.

KFOR commander Erhard Buehler said that the situation in the north was under control, and that there was no information anyone was injured during the incidents.

In Belgrade, Serbian Police Director reassured KFOR and EULEX that Serbian police would prevent the arrival of extremists from central Serbia to Kosovo.

Serbia will not allow for violence in northern Kosovo and will offer support to members of KFOR and EULEX, said Veljović.

Previously, Tanjug news agency was describing chaotic scenes from and around Jarinje just before 20:00 CET. One of the news agency's cameramen was assaulted and injured on the Leposavić-Jarinje road.

A Polish KFOR unit withdraw from the crossing, while American soldiers in armored vehicles are blocking the Jarinje-Kosovska Mitrovica road near Lešak.

Meanwhile residents of Leposavić "en masse" headed toward the crossing in their cars.

Earlier, Beta news agency reported that shots from automatic weapons were heard, and that Molotov cocktails were also thrown at a nearby KFOR camp, after which an explosion was heard.

Thick black smoke was seen rising from that area, according to this.

The attackers were described as "young men wearing hoods".

Several hundred people were at the checkpoint.

According to reports, the young men were Serbs who came "from the direction of Kosovska Mitrovica". They asked those gathered at the administrative line post to step away, and then started to demolish and burn the facilities.

Serbian President Boris Tadić reacted quickly to the news by calling for an immediate end to violence at Jarinje.

"Hooligans who are causing violence are not the ones who defend the citizens or the state of Serbia," said Tadić, and called on all Serbs in Kosovo to show restraint.

Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanović and Belgrade Kosovo talks team chief Borislav Stefanović, who were at Brnjak, arrived at Jarinje.

Bogdanović strongly condemned the violence and called on Serbs not to allow groups of extremists to cause clashes.

His state secretary at the ministry, Oliver Ivanović, told Beta news agency that the key to peace in the north was in the hands of KFOR, and said the NATO-led force should occupy main positions "and not allow Kosovo police special units to arrive at this part of the province".

Ivanović also stated that the incident was "expected, because Serbs are not a nation that will allow anyone to humiliate and degrade them".

Stefanović condemned the attacks as a criminal act that took place "when we were on the brink of finding a solution".

"Minister Bogdanović and I will together with municipal president and with Serbs who support us do everything to resolve this matter so that nobody uses it against us," said he, and added: "A long, difficult night is ahead of us."

The two checkpoints were last set on fire in early 2008, after ethnic Albanians in Kosovo unilaterally declared independence.

The crisis in northern Kosovo started late on Monday when the Kosovo Albanian authorities decided to attempt to take over Jarinje and Brnjak.

Speaking at Brnjak earlier in the day, Serbian officials called on KFOR to honor an agreement reached on Tuesday, that was supposed to diffuse the flare-up in tensions and violence.

Order to be "quickly restored"

KFOR issued a statement this evening to say that "after a day of demonstration, the situation deteriorated" at Jarinje.

The statement said that "an act of arson was committed against that position by unknown persons", while there were "confirmed reports of shots fired at KFOR personnel in the vicinity".

The NATO-led force said tha tit would be "reinforced during the evening in order to prevent further escalation of the situation".

"This will be an ongoing process and KFOR expects that after this reinforcement order will be quickly restored," the statement said.

It also noted that KFOR commander Erhard Buehler on Wednesday "participated in several meetings with political leaders from both sides in order to negotiate a solution along the lines of yesterday’s three-point statement".

The statement lists the points as return of all KPS Rosu units to southern Kosovo, removal of Serb roadblocks, while at Jarinje, "'normal' Kosovo police officers of both ethnicities will be posted".

Buehler's appeal to "all peaceful people of Kosovo to abstain from violence and to support a peaceful solution to the current crisis" was also quoted.