Border zone reinforced as 5 police die in Macedonia clashes

Border zone reinforced as 5 police die in Macedonia clashes

RISTOVAC, KUMANOVO -- Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said on Saturday that the police were doing everything to preserve stability and security of citizens.

His comments came after an armed terrorist group and the Macedonian police clashed throughout the day in Kumanovo, northern Macedonia, near the border with Serbia.

Additional troops of the Gendarmerie and the Anti-Terrorist Unit have been sent to the Ground Safety Zone, said Stefanovic at the Gendarmerie base in Ristovac, adding that the presence of the border police and all other necessary logistic police forces had been stepped up.

"We have to act responsibly in order to show all those who are thinking about possible terrorist attacks on Serbia that they will be stopped quickly and efficiently," he said.

Stefanovic, who conferred with Macedonian Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska said earlier on Saturday that he firmly believes that Macedonia's police will successfully deal with the terrorist threats that its citizens are facing at the moment.

The Serbian government will follow the possible surge of refugees so as to react timely and offer shelter to these people, Stefanovic said.

Earlier in the day, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic scheduled an emergency session of the Security Service Coordination Bureau for Sunday over the developments in Macedonia, Tanjug was told at the prime minister's office.

According to reports earlier on Saturday, three policemen were shot dead and a number of others were injured as the Macedonian police clashed with the group of terrorists.

Five policemen dead

Macedonian Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska told a news...