Kosovo: 1,500 flee Mitrovica in 2 weeks

Briefing notes

Kosovo: 1,500 flee Mitrovica in 2 weeks

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

17 February 2000

Nearly 1,500 people, primarily ethnic Albanians but also Muslim Slavs and ethnic Turks have fled the Serb-populated north of Kosovo's divided city of Mitrovica, since ethnic violence erupted there on February 4th. On Thursday, UNHCR registered seven families who fled from the northern part of the city.

UNHCR and its partner agency CARE are working on a project to reinforce the doors of minority residents in Mitrovica to give them better protection against attacks. We have also been taking fresh food to the homes of minority families who are too terrified to venture out. The Belgian chapter of Médecins sans Frontières is organizing home medical visits.