19 Mar. 2008
KFOR Field Hospitals have made a significant contribution to the medical support of the injured members of UNMIK and KFOR who were treated in medical facilities of KFOR consequently to the fights between Serbian demonstrators and international security forces on the occasion of the court building evacuation in the northern Kosovo town of Mitrovica/Mitrovice. One Ukrainian police officer died of his severe injuries.
Colonel Dr. Rüdiger Trapp, KFOR Medical Director and responsible for the co-ordination of the multinational medical support of KFOR, speaks very highly of the medical personnel's excellent co-operation: "Only due to the distribution of serious UNMIK casualties without delay via MEDEVAC helicopter to the surgical facilities provided by KFOR nations, we were able to save lives and prevent permanent health damage.
We were lucky that KFOR soldiers had only minor to medium injuries. However, the events demonstrated that the current spectrum of medical capacities and capabilities deployed by KFOR nations throughout Kosovo are adapted to the risks and can therefore not be dispensed with."
Many injuries were inflicted by hand grenade fragments. Treatment is not completed yet. The patients are in a physical stable condition. Meanwhile, most of them have been repatriated.
On March 20, 2008, Commander Joint Force Command in Naples Admiral Mark Fitzgerald visited the injured together with Commander of Kosovo Force Lieutenant General Xavier de Marnhac.
