Serbia demands Nato takes over policing of Kosovo’s north after deadly shootout

Kosovo police members of the Special Intervention Unit escort one of the arrested Serb gunmen out of court in Pristina, following a shootout at the weekend (Visar Kryeziu/AP/PA)

Serbia’s president demanded on Tuesday that Nato-led troops stationed in Kosovo take over security from police in the north of the country, days after violent clashes between armed Serbs and Kosovo police left one officer and three gunmen dead.

A day-long shootout in northern Kosovo on Sunday further raised tensions in the Balkan region at a time when European Union and US mediators have been pushing for a deal that would normalise ties between the wartime foes.