24 April
An earthquake measuring
over five points on the open-ended Richter scale hit Kosovo at about
1.00 p.m.. One man died and at least 100 people were injured in the
eastern Kosovo town of Gnjilane. The man died in the main street of
Gnjilane when debris from a crumbling minaret from the town's largest
mosque fell upon him. Some 50 people suffered broken bones and injuries
from flying glass as numerous buildings in the ethnically mixed town
were damaged. The Kosovo Protection Corps, US Kfor, Kosovo Police Service
and UNMIK Police, the municipality and UNMIK regional administration
responded to the earthquake. During the night aftershocks have been
felt around Kosovo. Several people slept outside in their cars or in
tents.
SRSG Michael Steiner
held a speech in front of the UN Security Council in New York. He talked
about what has been achieved in the UNMIK, about the priorities for
the near future and he set the benchmarks that should have been achieved
before launching a discussion on the status of Kosovo. The Security
Council welcomed his speech and assured Steiner his full support.
25 April
PDSRSG Charles Brayshaw visited Gnjilane to meet injured persons
and to see for himself the damage to the town caused by the earthquake.
Brayshaw walked through the centre of town, which sustained the most
damage in the earthquake, the park where tents have been set up to shelter
those whose houses were damaged and the hospital, where he met doctors,
nurses and the injured persons. He congratulated the hospital staff
for the "wonderful work" they had done after the injured people
started arriving in the hospital.
The International Prosecutor for Prizren filed an indictment
charging the UNMIK Police Officer Martin Almer and the two KPS Officers
Feriz Thaqi and Isa Ulluri with grave body injury, light body injury,
extraction of a statement under duress, maltreatment in the course of
duty, abuse of office and giving a false statement - arising from the
mistreatment of a detainee on 25 February 2002. In the course of indictment,
the Prosecutor requested the detention of Mr. Almer. As Mr. Almer is
not in Kosovo at the moment, the Prosecutor has sought the issuance
of an international arrest warrant.
26 April
An ethnic Albanian gunman was killed and two injured in a shootout
with Macedonian troops near Macedonia's border with Kosovo. According
to an army spokesman the gunman had opened the fire on a border patrol
from inside a truck that had tried to cross the border illegally. The
patrol shot back and then came under fire from a second group of gunmen
from across the border in Kosovo. The troops dispersed both groups.
One dead body and two wounded gunmen were found and five more captured.
27 April
A KPS Officer from Mitrovica South Station was attacked on his
way to work by a large group of unknown people. They beat him and stole
his vehicle. The man was taken to hospital, police is investigating
the case.
28 April
Several aftershocks
of the earthquake affected the eastern region of Kosovo, especially
the town of Gnjilane. No people were injured, the damages on houses,
however, were considerable.
Top
of page
