Kosovo's Special Police Unit Reportedly Dispatched to Serb Majority Region Amid Protests

BELGRADE (Sputnik) - The self-proclaimed republic of Kosovo dispatched officers of the regional operational support unit (ROSU) to the Northern Mitrovica region, part of North Kosovo with an ethnic Serb majority, as locals protest against anti-smuggling operation conducted by the Kosovo Interior Ministry, Kosovo Online reported on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, people gathered in the Serbian part of the city 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 citizens blocked off several streets, the news said.

After the local police officers used tear gas and flashbangs to disperse the crowds, ROSU officers were reportedly dispatched from the southern, Albanian, part of the city. The situation in the city remains tense, the news outlet said.

According to the Kosovo police, the raid is part of the operation against smuggled goods launched in four regions of Kosovo, including Prishtina, Peja, Mitrovica South and Mitrovica North. The operation is carried out in coordination with competent authorities, the prosecution, Kosovo customs officers and different police units, the police noted.