Sporadic explosions echoed Tuesday in northern Kosovo as Serbs protested the newborn republic's recognition of independence by the United States and major European powers. According to AP,Three loud explosions shook this tense northern Kosovo town overnight after Serbs angrily denounced the West and urged Russia to help Serbia hold on to the territory that Serbs consider the birthplace of their civilization. One of the blasts damaged several cars near a U.N. building, while two other hand grenade explosions hit deserted and already destroyed homes belonging to ethnic Albanians who fled this Serb stronghold after the 1999 war. No injuries were reported. One U.N. vehicle was set on fire overnight in a village near Mitrovica as the Serbs apparently launched a bombing campaign against international organizations that have administered the province since 1999 when NATO bombing campaign drove out Serbia's army after a brutal crackdown on Albanian separatists. Thousands of angry Serbs demonstrated in Mitrovica on Monday, chanting «This is Serbia» and «Down with America,» a day after the territory's ethnic Albanian leadership declared independence from Serbia. The recognition of Kosovo's declaration of independence by the U.S., Australia and the European Union's biggest powers has widened a split with Russia, China and some EU members who are strongly opposed to letting the territory break away from Serbia. As word of the recognition spread, ethnic Albanians poured into the streets of Pristina, Kosovo's capital, to cheer and dance. The republic's new flag _ a blue banner with a yellow silhouette of Kosovo and six white stars representing each of the main ethnic groups _ fluttered from homes and offices. Anti-Western protesters also marched in Belgrade, Serbia's capital, and Serbia recalled its ambassador to the U.S. to protest American recognition for an independent Kosovo. The U.S. embassy was shut down Tuesday. Serbia also ordered the withdrawal of envoys to France and Turkey, which also decided to establish diplomatic ties with Kosovo, the foreign ministry said. Kosovo Serbs planned more protests on Tuesday, including a march on a U.N.-run border post between Kosovo and Serbia, which the Serbs want removed as a symbol of their desire to rejoin Serbia in one state. Ethnic Albanians, who are mostly Muslim and account for more than 90 percent of Kosovo's 2 million people, saw Sunday's independence declaration as a final victory in the decades-long struggle over the impoverished territory. Kosovo's Serbs, mostly Orthodox Christians, vowed to defend the province they consider the ancient cradle of the Serbian state and religion.
