Clashes in Kosovo Leave 10 Serbs Hospitalized, One Seriously Injured, Hospital Director Says

BELGRADE (Sputnik) - Up to 10 Serbs sustained injuries, including one in serious condition, after the local population clashed with Kosovo police earlier on Wednesday, with the injured admitted to the Clinical Hospital Center in the city of Mitrovica in northern Kosovo, Zlatan Elek, the acting director of the hospital, told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"A total of 10 injured Serbs were admitted. Eight of them were injured by rubber bullets, sound and flash grenades, and tear gas. These patients were released home after treatment. Two patients were hospitalized, and one is seriously injured. He was shot in the back, and the wound is near the right shoulder blade, which is broken. His second rib bone is also broken, and the bullet went out from the front side of the neck," Elek said.

The doctor noted that the patient admitted in a serious condition underwent an urgent surgery to stop the bleeding. The man is currently in intensive care and his condition is stable, he added.

Earlier in the day, local media reported that six Serbs were hospitalized following the protests.

People gathered in the Serbian part of Mitrovica to protest against the actions of the Kosovo police, which raided local pharmacies and shops and required owners to provide customs declarations and documents related to the goods. The police reportedly used tear gas and flash grenades to disperse the crowds.