UN police raid Kosovo court, arrest Serb demonstrators

BELGRADE, March 17 (Xinhua) -- UN police and NATO peacekeepers on Monday raided a UN court in northern Kosovo, retaking the building from Serb demonstrators who have occupied the building for three days, local media reported.

In the dawn operation in the town of Kosovska Mitrovica, more than 500 UN police mainly from Ukraine stormed the building after hundreds of NATO peacekeeping forces first blocked the roads to the court.

Dozens of Serbians were arrested in the operation.

Friday morning, about 300 Serbian demonstrators took control of the court in Kosovska Mitrovica, which is mainly populated by Serbians. The protesters have said they want the court to be placed under the authority of Serbia, which does not recognize Kosovo's unilaterally-declared independence.