Silent exodus of Kosovo’s Serbs

A man feeding pigeons at the Ibar river bridge in the almost-emptied city of Mitrovica, Kosovo. — AFP

A QUIET but steady exodus is gradually emptying Serb-majority areas in Kosovo, amid a growing crackdown on Belgrade-backed institutions that has left some neighbourhoods deserted.

Although reliable data from areas in cities like Mitrovica is lacking, residents and observers say more and more ethnic Serbs are fleeing Kosovo and resettling in Serbia, as authorities close banks, post offices and municipal buildings that have long supported their community.