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WORLD NEWS Monday 12 deceMber 2022

Tensions run high in north Kosovo as Serbs block roads

By SYLEJMAN KLLOKOQI pletely unacceptable. So
and LLAZAR SEMINI are the latest attacks on
Associated Press EULEX," she said.
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Vucic said Sunday after
Tensions were high in north- a meeting of Serbia's top
ern Kosovo on Sunday, with security body that he will
Serbs blocking roads as do everything to preserve
shots and explosions rang peace, but that the army is
out and the Serbian presi- ready to protect the minor-
dent warned that Serbian ity Serbs in Kosovo.
troops are ready to defend "We have taken certain
their "homeland" if peace measures to protect our
doesn't prevail. homeland," Vucic told Ser-
The roads in Serbia's former bia's state RTS television. "I
province of Kosovo, which have issued orders and the
proclaimed independence National Security Council Local Serbs block the road near the village of Rudare, north of
in 2008, were blocked with has accepted them. I am Serb-dominated part of ethnically divided town of Mitrovica,
heavy vehicles and trucks very proud of our soldiers Kosovo, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022.
a day after Serbian Presi- and policemen. Before Associated Press
dent Aleksandar Vucic said they receive orders … we There were no injuries or were seen on the Serb bar-
he would ask the NATO- will try for a million times to damage. ricades that blocked main
led peacekeeping force preserve peace," he said. EULEX, which has some 134 roads leading to the border
in Kosovo to permit the Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Polish, Italian and Lithu- with Serbia, as Kosovo au-
deployment of 1,000 Serb Kurti accused Belgrade of anian police officers de- thorities closed two border
troops in the Serb-populat- trying to destabilize Kosovo. ployed in the north, called crossings to all traffic and
ed north of Kosovo, saying He said Serbia also is trying on "those responsible to pedestrians.
they are being harassed to bring an end to the EU- refrain from more provoc- An increased presence
there. mediated dialogue on nor- ative actions" and said it of Kosovar Albanian po-
The roadblocks, which malizing bilateral ties and urged the Kosovo institu- lice in areas with a mixed
Serbs say were erected to take it to the United Nations tions "to bring the perpetra- population, as well as more
protest the recent arrest of Security Council, where tors to justice." international police and
a former Kosovo Serb po- Belgrade hopes to get sup- European Union's high rep- soldiers, were seen in the
lice officer, came despite port from Russia and China. resentative, Josep Borrell, north on Sunday.
the postponement of the Kurti called on Kosovo's said the EU "will not tolerate Serbia and Kosovo have in-
Dec. 18 municipal election Serbs "to distance them- attacks on EULEX or use of tensified their war of words
opposed by Kosovo Serbs. selves from the criminal violent, criminal acts in the in recent days.
"Kosovo reduced tensions groups and Vucic's regime north." Vucic said Saturday that
by postponing local elec- that is funding them and "Barricades must be re- he would formally request
tions," said German Foreign looking for a war." moved immediately by permission from the NATO-
Minister Annalena Baer- The European Union rule of groups of Kosovo Serbs," he led KFOR mission in Kosovo
bock on Sunday. law mission, known as EU- said on Twitter. to deploy Serbian troops
"Recent rhetoric from Ser- LEX, reported that a stun "Calm must be restored ... in northern Kosovo, while
bia did the opposite. Sug- grenade was thrown at an all actors must avoid esca- conceding that the re-
gesting sending Serbian EULEX reconnaissance pa- lation." quest probably wouldn't
forces to Kosovo is com- trol overnight. Unidentified masked men be granted.q

Gaza authorities discover over 60 Roman era graves

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip has continued and the site
(AP) — Hamas authorities is surrounded by apartment
in Gaza on Sunday an- buildings. Local media re-
nounced the discovery of ported looting when the
over 60 tombs in an ancient site was first discovered,
burial site dating back to with people using donkey-
the Roman era. drawn carts to haul away
Work crews have been ex- items like a covered casket
cavating the site since it and inscribed bricks.
was discovered last Janu- Gaza, a coastal enclave
ary during preparations for home to more than 2 million
an Egyptian-funded hous- people, is known for its rich
ing project. history stemming from its
Hiyam al-Bitar, a researcher location on ancient trade
from the Hamas-run Ministry A member of a Palestinian excavation team works in a newly routes between Egypt and
of Antiquities and Tourism, discovered Roman era cemetery in the Gaza Strip, Sunday, the Levant. But Israeli oc-
said a total of 63 graves Dec. 11, 2022. cupation, a blockade,
have been identified and Associated Press conflicts and rapid urban
that a set of bones and a team of French experts wheelbarrows. growth in the crowded, nar-
artifacts from one tomb to learn more about the Although the ancient cem- row territory are among the
was dated back to the site. On Sunday, workers etery is now blocked off reasons most of Gaza's ar-
second century. She said sifted through the soil and from the public, construc- cheological treasures have
the ministry is working with removed piles of dirt in tion on the housing project not been protected.q