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KOSOVO
Church attacks
Allegations that Arab troops took part
The chief spokesman for KFOR, the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo, has vigorously denied Serbian Orthodox allegations that troops of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) serving under KFOR command have collaborated with attacks on Serbian Orthodox churches in the internationally-administered province.
Lt. Col. Patrick Poulain said that such allegations were “completely wrong,” although he confirmed that all his information is derived solely from reports submitted by the UAE troops themselves.
The Orthodox diocese of Raska and Prizren declared in an earlier statement that the 20 UAE troops guarding the Church of St. Elijah in Vucitrn, central Kosovo, “permitted Albanian terrorists to carry out an attack on the Church” in the early hours of August 18. The diocese also claimed that UAE troops denied entrance to Vucitrn to Bishop Artemije of Raska and Prizren and his entourage when they tried to visit the site the following day.
Poulain denied that any UAE troops were guarding St. Elijah’s Church, as it had already been ruined during an earlier attack. “KFOR only guards Orthodox churches that are still in use,” he said. As for the claim that Bishop Artemije and his entourage were barred from visiting the site, Poulain said that he was “not aware” of such an incident as no reports on it had come in, but said he would seek further information. “It is possible that a safety zone was set up around the target to make sure that no other devices were still in the building.”
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