Kosovo's ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Hashim Thaci has claimed victory in the territory's first poll since declaring independence from Serbia last year.

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) on Monday claimed to be the "convincing" winner of the first-ever mayoral and local council elections held in the breakaway region on Sunday.

The overall turnout was set at about 45%, with a higher-than-expected participation from minority Serbs.

Official results are due in the next few hours, and later in the day observers will announce if the vote met international standards.

The announcement is crucial in Kosovo's search for wider recognition.

Around 130 countries have still not recognized Kosovo's independence.

After casting his ballot on Sunday, Thaci said the vote was seen as a "confirmation" to the country's right to be independent, adding that Kosovo deserves "to have a European perspective".

This is while Serbia has viewed Kosovo as a renegade province after it claimed autonomy in February 2008.

Belgrade had urged Kosovo Serbs to boycott the local polls for fear of legitimizing Kosovo's independence.

Some 13,000 NATO-led peace corps were put on alert, especially in Serb areas, during the vote.

Kosovo has had a history of violence and thousands of its Albanian citizens are believed to have been killed and many more displaced in the wake of the 1998-1999 war with Serbian forces over the region's independence.

FF/TG/DT