UK troops returning from Kosovo (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

UK troops returning from Kosovo

1:59pm Tuesday 1st July 2008

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A 600-strong British military force deployed to Kosovo amid fears of renewed ethnic violence is returning to the UK.

Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth said the 2nd Battalion The Rifles had completed its month-long deployment without serious incident.

"During this period the security situation in Kosovo has remained calm. There were no significant incidents of inter-ethnic unrest and a number of key political dates passed peacefully," he said.

The reserve force was despatched to the Balkans to strengthen the Nato-EU peacekeeping mission amid concerns that Kosovo's declaration of independence could trigger violence between ethnic Albanians and Serbs.

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