41 KFOR soldiers, including 11 Italians, were injured in heavy clashes between NATO troops and Serbian demonstrators in Zveçan, northern Kosovo. Of the 11 Italians injured, three are in serious condition, but not in danger of life.

KFOR intervened to disperse Serbian demonstrators who were demonstrating in front of the local municipality to protest against the inauguration of the new mayor.

The army used stun grenades, while demonstrators threw stones, bottles and other objects at NATO forces.

Zvecani is one of the four largest Serb-majority municipalities in northern Kosovo under whose leadership new ethnic Albanian mayors were elected on April 23 due to the Serb election boycott. Similar protests are taking place in Zubin Potok and Leposaviq.

The situation is still tense and efforts are trying to stop the violence and end the demonstration.