Kosovo’s Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla said that police had arrested eight people after an explosion hit a canal that sends water to its two main power plants, an incident Pristina labeled a “terrorist act” by neighboring Serbia.
Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic denied what he said were “baseless accusations” about Belgrade’s involvement in the incident, which occurred around 7 pm (1800 GMT) on Friday.
“Somehow we managed to fix the damage, arrest the suspects, and confiscate a huge arsenal of weapons,” Svecla said during a live-streamed press conference.
Police commander Gazmend Hoxha said those arrested “are suspected of inciting, organizing and even executing these recent terrorist acts and in particular the one in the canal of Iber Lepenc.”
Hoxha said an initial investigation had shown that between 15 and 20 kilos of explosives were used in the attack.
Police raided 10 locations, confiscating more than 200 military uniforms, six shoulder-fired rocket launchers, long weapons, pistols, and ammunition, he added.
Police said most of the people arrested belong to the local Serb organization Civilna Zastita (Civil Protection), which the government in Kosovo has declared as a terrorist organization.
