Two Serb children wounded in blast in K. Mitrovica

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA A 9-year-old Serb girl and her 3-year-old brother were injured on Monday in Kosovska Mitrovica, when an explosive device was thrown through their window. According to reports, "an unidentified individual threw an explosive device at a Serb house in the Bosniak (Bosnjacka) Mahala neighborhood". Two Serb children wounded in blast in K. Mitrovica On Tuesday morning, the doctors in Kosovska Mitrovica said that both children were in a stable condition and not in need of surgery. Last night, it was announced that the children were not in a critical condition and were hospitalized in the Kosovska Mitrovica healthcare center sometime around 19:00 CET. “We hospitalized two children suffering from injuries inflicted by an explosive device thrown in through the window of their family home. They suffered shrapnel injuries to their heads and necks and are out of mortal danger for now,” doctors told reporters in the local healthcare center. “We are considering their transport to a specialised children's clinic in Belgrade for additional treatment because of the possibility of their wounds getting further aggravated. The injuries were inflicted to the area of cheek and neck and such wounds can be dangerous, which is we are discussing potential transfer,” the doctors said. The explosive device was thrown at the house of Sneza and Steva Vucetic in the Bosniak Mahala, one of the mixed quarters in Kosovska Mitrovica which is a home to both Serbs and ethnic Albanians. The police performed preliminary investigation at the scene. This is the second bomb attack in northern, mostly-Serb part of the ethnically divided town in as many days. The first incident late on Sunday did not cause any injuries. Kosovska Mitrovica Mayor and Deputy Director of the Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Krstimir Pantic reacted in a strongly worded statement, calling on the local Serbs to end all communication with NATO and EU missions, KFOR and EULEX, and referred to them as "the occupying forces". "This terrorist attack reveals that the international community stands behind it - KFOR and EULEX. The greatest responsibility is with the commander of KFOR and the EULEX mission chief, without whose knowledge and consent this terrorist attack would not have taken place," Pantic stated. In Belgrade, Kosovo Office Director Aleksandar Vulin spoke for B92 to say that he had asked the international community representatives in Kosovo to urgently state their position on the bomb attack, and find the perpetrators: "How can you not condemn an act of violence that targeted a three-year-boy and his nine-year-old sister? We do not know who did this. But from the family's history we see that their only sin is that they are Serbs. They have not upset anyone in any other way." Vulin also urged "the international community" to react and "stop treating Serbs as second-rate citizens". Serbian PM Ivica Dacic also reacted, saying that he condemned the incident in the strongest terms, and stressing that it was the international forces who had the obligation to guarantee security for everyone. "This, and similar attacks are jeopardizing peace in Kosovo and Metohija, to which Serbia is utterly dedicated, and the international forces should contribute so that this peace is maintained and safety of all who live in Kosovo and Metohija secured." The prime minister also demanded that the perpetrators be discovered, and asserted that "this and other events of this kind are making the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue more difficult". Kosovska Mitrovica District chief Radenko Nedeljkovic said that the incident was aimed at intimidating and ethnically cleansing Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija, and added: "This should be a message to official Belgrade and the negotiating team: presidents of the state and government, and the chief technical talks negotiator should all be aware who it is that they are negotiating with, and what is actually happening here." The Pristina government's administrative office in northern Kosovska Mitrovica also on Sunday condemned the attack. One of the injured children is seen with his mother in the K. Mitrovica hospital (Tanjug) B92 Beta Tanjug

Two Serb children wounded in blast in K. Mitrovica

On Tuesday morning, the doctors in Kosovska Mitrovica said that both children were in a stable condition and not in need of surgery.

Last night, it was announced that the children were not in a critical condition and were hospitalized in the Kosovska Mitrovica healthcare center sometime around 19:00 CET.

“We hospitalized two children suffering from injuries inflicted by an explosive device thrown in through the window of their family home. They suffered shrapnel injuries to their heads and necks and are out of mortal danger for now,” doctors told reporters in the local healthcare center.

“We are considering their transport to a specialised children's clinic in Belgrade for additional treatment because of the possibility of their wounds getting further aggravated. The injuries were inflicted to the area of cheek and neck and such wounds can be dangerous, which is we are discussing potential transfer,” the doctors said.

The explosive device was thrown at the house of Sneža and Steva Vučetić in the Bosniak Mahala, one of the mixed quarters in Kosovska Mitrovica which is a home to both Serbs and ethnic Albanians.

The police performed preliminary investigation at the scene. This is the second bomb attack in northern, mostly-Serb part of the ethnically divided town in as many days. The first incident late on Sunday did not cause any injuries.

Kosovska Mitrovica Mayor and Deputy Director of the Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Krstimir Pantić reacted in a strongly worded statement, calling on the local Serbs to end all communication with NATO and EU missions, KFOR and EULEX, and referred to them as "the occupying forces".

"This terrorist attack reveals that the international community stands behind it - KFOR and EULEX. The greatest responsibility is with the commander of KFOR and the EULEX mission chief, without whose knowledge and consent this terrorist attack would not have taken place," Pantić stated.

In Belgrade, Kosovo Office Director Aleksandar Vulin spoke for B92 to say that he had asked the international community representatives in Kosovo to urgently state their position on the bomb attack, and find the perpetrators:

"How can you not condemn an act of violence that targeted a three-year-boy and his nine-year-old sister? We do not know who did this. But from the family's history we see that their only sin is that they are Serbs. They have not upset anyone in any other way."

Vulin also urged "the international community" to react and "stop treating Serbs as second-rate citizens".

Serbian PM Ivica Dačić also reacted, saying that he condemned the incident in the strongest terms, and stressing that it was the international forces who had the obligation to guarantee security for everyone.

"This, and similar attacks are jeopardizing peace in Kosovo and Metohija, to which Serbia is utterly dedicated, and the international forces should contribute so that this peace is maintained and safety of all who live in Kosovo and Metohija secured."

The prime minister also demanded that the perpetrators be discovered, and asserted that "this and other events of this kind are making the Belgrade-Priština dialogue more difficult".

Kosovska Mitrovica District chief Radenko Nedeljković said that the incident was aimed at intimidating and ethnically cleansing Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija, and added:

"This should be a message to official Belgrade and the negotiating team: presidents of the state and government, and the chief technical talks negotiator should all be aware who it is that they are negotiating with, and what is actually happening here."

The Priština government's administrative office in northern Kosovska Mitrovica also on Sunday condemned the attack.