Thu Sep 12 08:22:00 UTC 2024: ## Serbs in North Kosovo Blocked From Work, 4 Youths Under House Arrest After Protests

**KOSOVSKA MITROVICA** – For the past 14 days, Serbian employees in temporary municipal bodies, the PIO (state pension) fund, and the Office for Kosovo and Metohija have been unable to access their workplaces due to a blockade in northern Kosovo. This comes as four young Serb men, detained for allegedly attacking Kosovo police, were placed under house arrest for one month.

The blockade, which began on August 30, has effectively shut down government operations in the north. Meanwhile, the documentation seized by Kosovo police during the arrests has been transferred to the Kosovo Archives Agency. Pristina media reports describe the material as “significant.”

Yesterday, Serbs protested in front of the police station, expressing their anger with chants of “Kurtiland Police,” “Let our children go!” and “Return our children to us!” The four young men, aged 19 and 21, were allegedly brutally beaten by police during their arrest. Kosovo police claim one of their members was also physically attacked, but provide no details about the incident.

The prosecution in Pristina has issued an indictment in the Banjska case, charging 45 individuals with alleged terrorism, including criminal acts against constitutional order and security, financing of terrorism, and money laundering. The case has been met with widespread condemnation from the Serbian community.

The situation remains tense, with ongoing protests and a deepening sense of frustration among the Serbian population. The blockade and arrests are seen as further evidence of the growing tensions between Serbia and Kosovo, raising concerns about potential escalation.

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