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UN bus damaged during disturbance in Kosovo

UN bus damaged during disturbance in Kosovo

One person suffered minor injuries and a number of vehicles were damaged today when a public disturbance flared up in Kosovo, the UN Mission in the province reported.

The incident began this afternoon when a "delegation of an important international organization" visited a local restaurant in north Mitrovica where, by chance, the Prime Minister of Kosovo paid an unannounced visit. "While the delegation and the Prime Minister were inside, several unknown subjects threw stones at the location, damaging the windows," the Mission, known as UNMIK, said.

The Prime Minister left the location and was not injured, but the international delegation, while leaving the scene by UN bus and cars, "became disoriented in north Mitrovica and ended up at the North Mitrovica Hospital, where regrettably the incident continued," UNMIK said.

With a crowd of about 150 people gathered at the scene, the UN bus was damaged and two Kosovo police vehicles were burned.

Eventually, the delegation made its way safely to Regional Police Headquarters, where one member was treated for minor injuries.

UNMIK said it was "greatly disturbed that a delegation of an important international organization was attacked when their purpose was to seek ways to further the economic development in Kosovo" and called those responsible for the incident "reprehensible."