On March 17, 2004, protests began that later became known as the “March Unrest.” The events lasted two days, during which 20 civilians were killed and over 900 people were injured, mostly Albanians in Kosovo.
The unrest erupted following reports that three Albanian children had drowned in the Iber River while trying to escape an attack by a group of Serbian youths. The exact cause of this tragedy was never fully clarified.
One surviving child told cameras that they were being chased by Serbs and that while they were running, several of their peers drowned in the river. The next day, March 17, protests erupted in multiple cities across Kosovo, which quickly escalated into violence.
The protests were directed against UNMIK.
During the unrest, several Serbian homes and churches were burned. Similar attacks occurred against Albanian homes in Serbian-majority areas. Serbs also retaliated by burning several mosques in Serbia.
