Fatal UN prison shoot-out still a mystery

A United States officer was in serious condition today after a Jordanian policeman shot into a group of United Nations police officers in a prison compound in Kosovo, killing two American women before being fatally shot in the ensuing gun battle.

The officer was taken to neighbouring Macedonia for neurosurgery, said Major Chris Cole, a spokesman for the US peacekeepers in the province.

The officer was among 11 injured as 21 correctional officers from the US, two Turks and one Austrian officer came under fire as they were leaving the detention centre on Saturday, said Neeraj Singh, a UN spokesman.

At least one member of a group of Jordanians shot at the officers, and the officers shot back.

A 10-minute gun battle followed, in which the attacker and the two Americans were killed. The injured included 10 Americans and the Austrian.

The two dead American officers were women, Singh confirmed.

Saturday was the first day at work for the dead and the injured, who belonged to a new US contingent of officers who arrived in Kosovo just 10 days ago.

It was still not clear what sparked the shooting.

Four Jordanian police officers had been detained, said Stefan Feller, the head of UN police.

Singh added: “As far as we know, there was no communication between the officer who fired and the group of victims.”

Jordan’s government expressed regret for the incident and said it wanted to find out what happened.

The top UN official in Kosovo, Harri Holkeri, said: “I am deeply shocked and dismayed at the unfortunate death of dedicated professionals who have come such a great distance to help Kosovo on its road to future.”

The 3,500-strong UN police force includes 450 US officers, most of whom work for Dyncorp, a private company that trains police, corrections and judicial officers who work in places such as Kosovo and Iraq.

The UN police force works alongside 6,000 local police officers.