Serbia calls on NATO-led forces to guarantee security inside Kosovo

Serbia's defence minister Miloš Vučević has called on the NATO-led Kosovo forces, or KFOR, to guarantee security inside Kosovo following clashes on Friday between police and ethnic Serbs that left more than a dozen injured on both sides. Serbia's border police have also been put on high alert. 

"The army of Serbia is of course in contact with KFOR and we expect KFOR to be much more involved in the field, to guarantee security, freedom, human rights, to its citizens who live in the territory of the province, so that it is not divided whether they are Serbs or Albanians or some other nation,” Vučević said on Friday. 

Vučević accused Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti of "leading us to the red lines for Serbia".

"Kurti will not stop and he will continue to carry out activities aimed at further aggravating the Serbian community," he added. 

Ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo, who are a majority in that part of the country, had tried to block recently-elected ethnic Albanian officials from entering municipal buildings earlier Friday. The April 23 snap election was largely boycotted by ethnic Serbs and only ethnic Albanian or other smaller minority representatives were elected in the mayoral posts and assemblies.

Kosovo police fired tear gas and several cars were set ablaze. Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd and let the new officials into the offices. Kosovo Serb hospital officials said about 10 protesters were injured. Police said five officers were injured by stun grenades and other objects thrown by protesters. A police car was burned.

In response to the clashes, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said he put the army on the “highest state of alert” and ordered an “urgent” movement of troops closer to the border. He also