Tensions Rise in Kosovo Amid Interethnic Clashes

Interethnic tensions between Albanians and Serbs in Kosovo have escalated, with recent clashes being described as some of the most violent in recent memory. The crisis began after newly elected ethnic Albanian mayors took office, despite local Serbs having protested against the move. The United States has rebuked Kosovo and suggested the mayors should have worked from temporary locations elsewhere instead. The former Serbian province declared independence in 2008, but Serbia does not recognise its independence and has lobbied against Kosovo’s membership in international bodies such as the United Nations, stalling its progress. European Union-backed talks to normalise relations have been dragging on for a decade, but disagreements remain.