After sirens repeatedly went off in the Mitrovica North, Kosovo Internal Affairs Minister Xhelal Svecla confirmed that one person has been arrested, allegedly the leader of the Civil Defense and organizer of attacks on KFOR in Zvecan.

Svecla said the Kosovo Police arrested a Serb from Mitrovica North. “The Kosovo police have arrested M. M., one of the leaders of the ‘Civil Defense’ criminal group,” said Svecla.

The Minister said this person is also “the leader of the criminal groups that terrorized our citizens for years, attacked members of the Kosovo Police and institutions of the Republic of Kosovo,”

Svecla said that Kosovo police officers were attacked during the arrest and that three of them were slightly injured.

“As I have continuously emphasized, the time of criminal gangs in the north of our country is a thing of the past. All individuals or criminal groups who violated the security and constitutional order of the Republic of Kosovo will face justice. The Republic will not step down,” said the Minister.

Immediately after the arrest a large number of people assembled in the city.