KFOR Press Update: 26 Mar 2000

Update on Exercise Dynamic Response 2000

Preparations continue for the start of Exercise Dynamic Response 2000 tomorrow morning.

Today, the KFOR press centre has organized opportunities for the local and international press corps. Helicopters depart the KFOR Main Headquarters at noon for the forward assembly areas.

Weapons Confiscation and Arrests

Yesterday morning, KFOR Italian Carabinieri surprised six people in a dawn house search in the community of Stimlje, 20 kilometres north west of Urosevac. They confiscated one sub-machine gun, two military assault rifles, one sniper rifle, numerous magazines and a quantity of ammunition.

Four Albanians were detained for questioning including one woman. Two others were reported to a prosecutor for aiding and abetting a weapons violation.

Events and Incidents During the Past 24 Hours

House Attack

Yesterday afternoon, a Molotov Cocktail was thrown at a Serb-owned house in Urosevac (MNB West). KFOR troops put out the fire and are searching the area for clues. Nearby, in Gnjilane, a grenade was thrown from a passing car at another Serb home. There were no injuries in either incident.

Searches and Weapons Confiscations

One hunting rifle was confiscated during a house search in Podujevo (MNB Centre). Yesterday in Ljiumbarda (MNB West), a KFOR patrol found two anti-tank rockets and a rifle in a field. The owner was not identified but explosive ordnance experts destroyed the weapons.

Illegal Border Crossing

Yesterday there were two border-crossing incidents in MNB South. At the Morina South crossing, two individuals turned back into Albania after KFOR soldiers fired warning shots. In Dragas, four Albanians were detained for illegal entry into Kosovo and were handed over to UNMIK police for questioning.