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Article: NATO peacekeepers face threats as Kosovo constitution seeks to empower local authorities
- Article from:
- AP Worldstream
- Article date:
- June 6, 2008
- Author:
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With their guns pointed at the ground, British peacekeepers started a fast-paced foot patrol through an Albanian village in Kosovo's tense, Serb-dominated north.
They were among 600 battle-hardened British soldiers recently deployed to boost NATO's 16,000-strong presence in Kosovo amid fears ethnic tensions might boil over as the new country's constitution comes into force June 15.
"In Iraq we'd be treading carefully, weapons at shoulder height," said Capt. Paul Smythe pointing his weapon sideways as if enemies lurked in the tree-covered hills. "Here we patrol with guns down _ not Basra style."
The British troops _ The 2nd Battalion, The Rifles _ ...