BELGRADE, May 29. /TASS/. More than 50 people sought medical assistance after clashes between protesting Serbs and KFOR (a NATO-led international security force in Kosovo) troops in northern Kosovo and Metohija, the Vecernje Novosti newspaper reported on Monday.

The newspaper cited Zlatan Elek, director of a clinical center in Kosovska Mitrovica, who said that the center had received more than 50 people with gunshot wounds and injuries from flash bang grenades and rubber bullets.

The newspaper reported earlier in the day that KFOR officers had attacked Serbs who were protesting in front of the administrative building in the Zvecan municipality in Kosovo and Metohija.

According to the newspaper, the Serbs were holding a peaceful demonstration in front of the administration building, which was seized by the Kosovo police on May 26. After KFOR officers arrived at the site and asked the protesters to back away from the building, Igor Simic, the vice chairman of the Serb List party, asked the protesters to sit down on the ground with their hands up to show that they were unarmed. After that, KFOR troops grabbed Simic and dragged him inside their cordon.

Then, KFOR officers tossed more than 30 flash bang grenades and sprayed tear gas at the protesters, injuring two Serbs. The Kosovo police reportedly used firearms.

Earlier on Monday, KFOR forces blocked access to the buildings housing the municipal administrations of the cities of Zvecan, Zubin Potok, and Leposavic. The Serbian Security Council said in a statement on May 27 that in violation of its mandate, KFOR forces had ignored the aggressive activity of Kosovo law enforcement agencies in the Serb municipalities and failed to prevent attempts by Pristina’s self-proclaimed authorities to take control of the administrative buildings.

On May 26, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic called on NATO to take urgent measures to put an end to violence against Serbs in Kosovo. On Monday, Serbian Defense Minister Milos Vucevic said that the Serbian army had been put on high alert following the escalation in Kosovo and is ready to fulfill any order from President Vucic.

The situation in four municipalities in northern Kosovo and Metohija escalated on Friday after Kosovo law enforcement officers tried to seize the buildings of local administrations, despite the resistance of local residents. The Kosovo police reportedly used tear gas and flash bang grenades. According to the local mass media, a police car was set on fire in the Zvecan municipality and armored vehicles were reportedly deployed to the site. In response to the actions of the Kosovo authorities, Belgrade put its army on high alert and deployed troops to the administrative border with Kosovo.

Pristina insists that the new mayors of the four municipalities, who were elected despite nearly the entire Serb population boycotting the elections, take their offices.

Elections to local self-governments in four municipalities - Zvecan, Zubin Potok, Leposavic and North Mitrovica - in northern Kosovo and Metohija were held on April 23. The elections were boycotted by the Serb List party because of Pristina’s non-fulfilment of its commitments. As a result, the voter turnout was a mere 3.47%, with 1,566 Albanians and only 13 out of 45,095 eligible Serbs taking part.