DHAKA: A European Union police officer has been shot dead while on patrol in Kosovo, the first casualty since the EU took over security in 2008.

The Eulex mission condemned the ‘act of cowardly violence’ and said a murder investigation had been launched.

It said two vehicles, carrying six staff members, came under fire in the Mitrovica area of northern Kosovo. The dead officer has not been named.

The town of Mitrovica is split between ethnic Serbs and Kosovo Albanians.

‘At approximately 07:30 local time (05:30GMT), two vehicles carrying six staff members came under fire in the vicinity of Zvecan town,’ Eulex said, reports the BBC.

‘No effort will be spared in bringing the perpetrator to justice.’

A spokeswoman for the EU mission, Irina Gudeljevic, told the BBC it was the first time a member of the Eulex force had been killed.

BDST: 1933 HRS, SEPT 19, 2013
RoR/RIS