Belgrade, 29 Sept. (AKI) - A French football fan who was attacked in the Serbian capital Belgrade by soccer hooligans two weeks ago, died in a local hospital on Tuesday. Brice Taton, 28, was attacked in a Belgrade bar ahead of the Europa League match between Partizan Belgrade and Toulouse on 17 September.

Doctors in the Serbian clinical centre fought for the past two weeks to save Taton but he died early Tuesday, hospital spokesman Drago Jovanovic said.

Taton received severe head, chest and spinal injuries when French fans were allegedly attacked in an Irish Pub in central Belgrade by a 30-strong group armed with iron bars and baseball bats.

Two other French fans were injured in the attack.

Days later an Australian man was attacked in a Belgrade park and last Friday a Libyan man was taken to hospital with a head injury after he was attacked.

The recent attacks have raised concerns about a surge in extremist violence in Serbia, where police have arrested dozens of members of far-right groups this year.

A gay pride march planned for this month - Belgrade's first since 2001 - had to be called off as authorities said they could not guarantee the protesters' safety.

French Sports Minister Rama Yade has called on Serbian authorities not to let the crimes go unpunished.  

Serbia's interior minister Ivica Dacic said police will resolutely crack down on criminals and hooligans who damage Serbia’s reputation abroad.

Serbian officials have called for harsh sentences for the perpetrators.