Macedonia: At least 12 police officers injured in shootout with 70 armed people

At least 12 police officers were reportedly injured during a shootout with around 70 armed people in Kumanovo early Saturday morning. The seventy men who attacked the city around 04:00 local time (0.600 GMT) have not been officially identified so far, but local media reports the armed group consisted of two criminal gangs were hired to provoke an armed incident in Kumanovo. Residents have been advised to stay indoors and no movement is permitted in certain areas. The police officers who have reportedly been injured are being treated at the Clinical Centre in Skopje. Macedonia has seen numerous protests against police brutality and government over the last several days. However it is not clear if the attack in Kumanovo is related to the recent demonstrations. The Ministry of Interior has not released an official statement regarding the incident yet.