By Nicholas Wood in Mitrovica

More UN troops are to be deployed in the north of Kosovo following the murder of at least eight people.

The United Nations Secretary-General's Special Representative, Bernard Kouchner, announced the increase on a visit to the divided town of Mitrovica, which has been the focus for three days of violence.

Dr Kouchner revealed the decision after a meeting with the leaders of the Serb and Albanian communities in the town.

The exact number of reinforcements and the timing of deployment has yet to be confirmed.

K-For officials admit that the violence is the worst they have seen since entering the province last summer.

Earlier, the first of eight people - all of them believed to be ethnic Albanians - was buried. The victims were killed in their homes or on the street after a grenade attack on a cafe in the Serb-dominated north of the town on Thursday night.

Mitrovica has been divided into two since the arrival of UN troops in June last year: Serbs dominate the north, and Albanians the south.

For a third day in succession, tear-gas has been used to prevent stone-throwing youths from crossing over to the north.

A group of about 1,000 Albanians have been protesting outside the French military barracks in the south of the town because of what they see as the soldiers' failure to stop the violence.

In spite of K-For's reassurances, Albanians continue to leave their homes in the north.

The UNHCR said at least 10 families were escorted south by troops and police on Sunday, bringing the total number of refugees to just under 300 - more may have left by their own means.

'Peace wanted'

Describing the situation as "extremely serious", General Pierre de Saqui de Sannes said 41 people, including 11 French soldiers, had been injured in Saturday's clashes.

He told a news conference that a night curfew, imposed on Friday, would have to remain for at least three days.

"My feeling is that the majority of the people in this country wants peace," he said. "But, unfortunately, extremist groups of whatever kind only want to maintain a situation of chaos."

The survival of a multi-ethnic Mitrovica must seem ever more remote.