Kosovo peacekeeper dies after shooting

An investigation was underway today after a British soldier on peacekeeping duties in Kosovo died after a shooting incident.

The soldier, whose name, age and home town have not been released, was on duty with a team protecting a Serb Orthodox church in the centre of the provincial capital of Pristina, the British Ministry of Defence said.

Captain Ollie Major, a spokesman for the British peacekeepers in Kosovo, said: ‘‘The soldier had been injured as a result of a gunshot wound. I’m sorry to say the soldier later died.’’

British Foreign Office minister Peter Hain said it did not appear that the soldier died as a result of a hostile act.

He said: ‘‘Obviously this is a tragedy for his family and for him clearly, but it doesn’t appear to have been as a result of a hostile act.

‘‘He died as a result of wounds to the head but it wasn’t in action or from a sniper.

‘‘The exact circumstances are still to be determined.’’

British troops have been carrying out peacekeeping duties in Kosovo as part of the international K-For presence.

Part of their duties have included protecting Serb Orthodox churches, which have been a target for Albanian militants.

About 100 churches have been destroyed since Belgrade relinquished control of Kosovo in June 1999.

A number of British military personnel have been killed this year while on peacekeeping duties in the Balkans.

In April, RAF Flight Lieutenant Mark Maguire, 31, and Captain Andrew Crous (correct), 28, of the Army Air Corps, were killed when an RAF helicopter crashed on the Kosovo-Macedonia border.

The same month Trooper Adam Slater, 20, of Felsted, Essex, died when the vehicle he was travelling in struck a mine on the border between Kosovo and Macedonia.

And in August Sapper Ian Collins, 22, of Sheffield, died after he was struck by a lump of concrete while travelling in a military vehicle in Macedonia.