KOSOVSKA MITROVICA, March 17 , SPA --U.N. special policestormed a U.N. courthouse in northern Kosovo on Monday,evicting Serb demonstrators who have occupied the buildingsince last week to protest Kosovo's declaration ofindependence, AP reported. Thousands of stone-hurling Serbs later gathered near thecourthouse in Serb-dominated Kosovska Mitrovica and clashedwith riot police backed up by NATO troops, who used teargas and stun grenades. At least one U.N. vehicle and one NATO truck were set onfire during the riots. Several demonstrators and policeofficers were injured, witnesses at the scene said. «The situation is quite tense, but police and NATO areout in force,» Besim Hoti, a spokesman for Kosovo's policein the north of the country, said. This was the most serious clash between Kosovo'speacekeepers and the Serbs since majority-ethnic AlbanianKosovo declared independence a month ago. The Kosovo Serbstook over the U.N. court last Friday. U.N. police said 53 Serb demonstrators who occupied thecourthouse were arrested in the action early Monday byabout 100 U.N. riot police. Witnesses said some of thosewho were arrested were later released when the Serb riotersstopped U.N. vehicles driving them away.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/537213