| Mitrovica (Albanian: Mitrovica or Mitrovicë, Serbian: Косовска Митровица, Kosovska Mitrovica) is a city and municipality in northern Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the district with the same name. Since the end of the Kosovo War of 1999 it has been divided between an ethnic-Albanian-majority south and an ethnic-Serb-majority north. Its northern part is the de facto capital of the Serb enclave of North Kosovo.Mitrovica became the focus for ethnic clashes between the two communities, exacerbated by the presence of nationalist extremists on both sides. The bridge links the two sides of the town and became a symbol of Kosovo's ethnic divisions. The bridgeis guarded by armed groups determined to prevent incursions by the other side. Because of the tense situation in the town, KFOR troops and the UNMIK police were stationed there in large numbers to head off trouble. Source: Wikipedia |
|