Kosovo Albanians rally in support of ethnic kin in southern Serbia

PRISTINA, Kosovo – Ethnic Albanians are protesting in Kosovo's capital to show support for their ethnic kin in Serbia's tense southern sector.

The protesters chanted anti-Serbian slogans Saturday in the main square of Pristina, blaming Kosovo's government for not standing up for ethnic Albanians in the neighboring country.

Kosovo, which has an ethnic Albanian majority, used to be a province of Serbia until it declared independence in 2008, a move that Serbia still rejects.

Serbian authorities removed a monument erected in the town of Presevo to commemorate ethnic Albanians killed during the 2000 uprising against Serbia, a move that has prompted local outrage.

Serbia considers the fighters terrorists but the uprising ended with more civil rights for ethnic Albanians in southern Serbia.