“Explosive up to 20kg, ammunition, ” uniforms What is known so far about the attack on the Iber-Lepenci water channel?

There were no victims, but the channel has suffered damage, while residents from Mitrovica have had no water for nearly 24 hours after the blast.

After temporary repair, the water supply has been restored.

The Iber-Lepenc Canal supplies water from Weyman Lake to several cities in the country, as well as the Kosovo Energy Corporation for cooling its thermoelectrics.

Kosovo Police Director Gazmend Hoxha has said that up to 20kg of explosives have been used, which was placed in a black bag and activated with mechanical detonators, through the slow-burning fuse.

Kosovo authorities accused Serbia of this attack, which they named a terrorist, adding that it was the most serious attack on the country's critical infrastructure since the last war in Kosovo.

Serbia denied that.

After a wide operation in the north over the explosion, Kosovo authorities have arrested eight suspects and seized weapons, including explosives.

Kosovo authorities have charged him Serbia for this “criminal and terrorist attack”  and criminal structures led by Milan Radojic, who has claimed responsibility for the September 2023 deadly attack in the village of Banjska in Zvecan.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has said Serbia has targeted “to damage the country's most important” infrastructure.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq denied any involvement in the attack, adding that the charges made against Serbia “without supporting evidence” are “very disturbing”. He called for an international investigation “for this sabotage act”.

On Saturday afternoon, the European Union strongly condemned “the terrorist attack”, adding that “is a disgusting act of sabotage to Kosovo's critical civilian infrastructure”.

Police event

The eight arrested and accompanied to police Saturday are suspected of involvement in criminal and terrorist acts.

They are suspected of involvement in the attack on the water channel Friday and are part of the “Civil Protection”, which has acted illegally in northern Kosovo since 2011 and which has been declared a terrorist organisation in June last year by the Government of Kosovo.

During the police action, over 200 military uniforms, six hand rocket launchers, three hand grenades, two AK47 rifles, a gun, ammunition of different calibres, pieces of arms, fuses for launching explosives, military helmets, masks, knives, money in currency like euros and other equipment, according to police director Hoxha.

In a separate raid on Zvecan, Hoxha said police have confiscated significant quantities of concealed weapons such as two AK47 rifles, three pistols, one hunting gun, two missile guns, six AK47 rounds, ammunition and military uniforms.

Hoxha said confiscated weapons could be linked to this week's attacks and other cases that authorities are handling.

Kosovo Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla said at a media conference that the overwhelming majority of weapons and other confiscated equipment are “Serbian production” and that a large part of it are “exclusive military equipment” that cannot be found easily on the black market.

The explosive used in the attack on the channel “is impossible to find, unless supplied directly from army depots”, Svecla replied after being asked how such a large amount of explosives could be introduced in that part of the country.

The explosion at Zubin Potok occurred hours after Kosovo police announced that they had stepped up security measures at the level of the country, including in the Serb-run northern majority, where several incidents of explosive means have occurred in recent days. /Radio Europe Free