Serbia rejects responsibility for a water supply explosion in Kosovo as tensions rise

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia on Sunday rejected any responsibility for a powerful explosion that temporarily cut water and power supplies to large swathes of neighboring Kosovo, with Serbia’s president claiming such accusations are part of a “hybrid” warfare against his country.

Kosovo officials said police had arrested eight people after an explosion on Friday in the northern Serb-populated part of the state hit a canal that sends water to its two main power plants. Pristina called it a “terrorist act” conducted by Serbia.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic rejected those accusations.

“On Friday, there was an attempt of a large hybrid attack on our country,” Vucic said. “Belgrade and Serbia have nothing to do with those events.”

The populist Serbian leader suggested Kosovo was behind the attack but said he will refrain from directly accusing Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti pending an investigation conducted by Belgrade.

“I will not say that Kurti directly ordered the attack,” Vucic said. “The investigation will show, we have certain suspicions. We believe we have certain findings who could be the perpetrator.”

“During that so-called anti-terrorist operation, Kurti’s special forces occupied new intersections and streets, harassing Serbs, and it was all a show for the international public,” Vucic said.

Kosovo police have raided 10 locations in the north, confiscating more than 200 military uniforms, six shoulder-fired rocket launchers, long weapons, pistols and ammunition, they said. About 15 to 20 kilograms (30 to 45 pounds) of explosives were used to damage the critical infrastructure, according to Kosovo police chief Gazmend Hoxha.

The explosion has further fueled tensions between the two Balkan states. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, which is not recognized by Belgrade. Most of the Serb minority living in Kosovo still consider Belgrade as their capital.

The European Union and the United States strongly denounced the explosion and demanded that the perpetrators are brought to justice.