Kosovo claims 'terrorist act' after power plant canal blast

Pristina [Kosovo], December 1: An explosion damaged a canal supplying water to
Kosovo's two main coal-fired power plants on Friday, leading Prime Minister Albin Kurti
to accuse neighbor and rival Serbiaof being behind what he called a "terrorist act."
"This is a criminal and terrorist attack aimed at damaging our critical infrastructure",
Kurti said in a press conference.
"The attack was carried out by professionals. We believe it comes from gangs directed
by Serbia," Kurti said, without giving more details.
Serbian oFFicials are yet to publicly comment on the allegations.
What do we know about the blast?
The explosion occurred in Kosovo's troubled northern region near the town of Zubin
Potok. It damaged a canal that supplies water to the cooling systems at two power
plants.
These plants generate most of Kosovo's electricity.
The Prime Minister said if the damage was not repaired, part of Kosovo would be without
electricity by Saturday morning.
While Kurti did not mention the extent of the damage, pictures published by local media
showed heavy leakage from one side of the canal which also supplies drinking water.
The incident comes amid a rise in ethnic tensions between the two Balkan nations.
Earlier on Friday, Kosovo's police announced greater security measures after hand
grenades were thrown at a police station and municipality building in northern Kosovo
where there is a larger Serbian population.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 after nearly a decade of conflict.
However, Serbia has refused to acknowledge it as a country and most Serbians living in
Kosovo still view Belgrade as their capital.
Reactions to the blast
The European Union's Ambassador to Kosovo, Aivo Orav, condemned the attack, which
he said was "depriving considerable parts of Kosovo from water supply".
The US also condemned the attack. "We are monitoring the situation closely... and have
oFFered our full support to the government of Kosovo to ensure that those responsible
for this criminal attack are identified and held accountable," the US embassy in
Kosovo's capital Pristina said in a statement.
Source: Times of Oman