KOSOVO: United Nations police in Kosovo are holding four Jordanian members of the force following a gun battle with US police, in which two American women prison officers and a Jordanian man were killed.
"Four Jordanians were detained after the incident and they are in custody," UN Police Commissioner Stefan Feller told a news conference in Pristina.
"We don't know the motive," he said in response to questions about a report that violent emotions over Iraq were behind the clash. "I cannot say the reasons for the incident," Mr Feller added, calling it a "reckless attack".
The Americans involved had arrived less than two weeks ago in Kosovo for a tour of duty with the UN force. The Jordanians had been there only a week or so longer.
Police sources at the scene of Saturday's firefight inside the UN compound in the city of Mitrovica said hostility over Iraq or the Middle East had sparked the fight.
A UN spokesman denied the shooting had been preceded by a verbal clash. But a US policeman said the attack had been "organised".
Whatever the cause, a lethal firefight is unprecedented between two of the 30 or so national contingents of the Kosovo UN law enforcement mission, which numbers some 3,500 officers.
"I have to say, this was a sad day for UN peacekeeping," Mr Feller said. But he said no changes to the mission were planned.
Mr Feller, a German officer, said the shooting began when a convoy of 21 US officers, along with an Austrian and two Turks, was leaving Mitrovica detention centre in the compound after routine training.
He said at least one of five Jordanians opened fire on the convoy and officers from the convoy returned fire. In the exchange, three officers were killed and 11 others wounded, 10 of whom were Americans including five women.
Mr Feller said one was in a critical condition.
He added that a request had been sent to the UN in New York that the immunity of the Jordanian officers be lifted so they could be interrogated.
The deputy head of the Serbian hospital in Mitrovica said the US wounded would be transferred to the French military barracks in the city and then moved by helicopter to the main US base.
The Austrian victim was taken to the Austrian military base at Suva Reka in central Kosovo.
The hospital said five patients had received surgery. A woman who sustained the most serious injuries no longer required the life-support machine.