According to a report several police officers and ethnic Serbs have been injured in Mitrovika, Kosovo when police met resistance in an operation to find smuggled goods.
Kosovo, once part of Serbia and the federal republic of Yugoslavia declared independence in 2008, recognised by 97 out of 193 u.n. members. Reportedly 92% of Kosovars are Albanian, 2-4% Serbs and 2% Bosniacs. Muslims make up 97.4 % of the population. According to archaeological excavations Kosovo was habited by a paleo-Balkan culture. Reportedly Albanians migrated during the Ottoman empire, 1455-1912. The kingdom of Yugoslavia ruled from 1929 when according to reports Albanians became the minority due to land reforms, conflict and migration. The socialist federal republic of Yugoslavia was born in 1963.
Reportedly a Kosovo Albanian group called the Kosovo liberation army, backed by the u.s. and europe fought Yugoslav forces between 1998-99. According to reports nato air raids resulted in up to 1,000 civilian deaths, was followed by a u.n. civil and military presence. Reportedly up to 200,000 fled, Yugoslav forces withdrew, Albanians were repatriated and Mitrovika was divided, Serbs being sent to the north.