Three persons of Serb ethnicity are injured in clash with Albanians and due to police intervention in the village of Staro Gracko, nearby Lipljan, RTS correspondent Andrija Igic reported.

A medical care was provided to injured persons, including a 6-month old baby, in a health house in Laplje Selo. Police detained one Albanian and one Serb, RTS further reported.

Injured Serbs are from the same Matovic family. The oldest Gorica said that group of Albanians was verbally harassing her daughter in law and a neighbour while they were walking in the village with their children.

“They were swearing at them, calling them names, they touched the little boy, pushed him. Then my older son came, and asked Albanians why did you harass them, however Albanians stayed there. Then we called the police and when my son was giving the statement, he (an Albanian) punched him in front of the police,” Gorica Matovic told RTS.

“Then in self-defence my brother punched him back, I got involved in it too, and then a police officer sprayed a pepper spray in the eyes of my brother and me. I run home to wash the eyes with the water, as there was no water nearby,” Milivoje Matovic said.

Milivoje added later, police took his brother to the police station, along with Albanian young man who have created a problem.

Health officials in Laplje Selo said injured people were visibly distressed.

“They sustained burns in the eye and neck areas, feelings of suffocation and unfortunately the baby has slight burns in the eye area as well due to pepper spray,” doctor Marijan Madic said.

At the time of reporting, last night arrested Serb and Albanian were still in the police station.

Staro Gracko village suffered one of the worst atrocities following the end of the conflict in 1999. 14 Serb harvesters were murdered in July 1999 and perpetrators still remain unknown.