Police attacks in the north: “intentional Tensions”, who is behind these attacks?

The attacks that are taking place from time to time in northern Kosovo on police members have disturbed Pristina authorities. They say the attacks are taking place for the intentional <x0-tension” of the security situation in the Serb-run northern Kosovo. Kosovo Police members from April 13th until now have been attacked six times. Unknown people have fired on police vehicles with automatic weapons, AK 47 hand grenades, as well as metal iris on the streets and other strong tools. Human injuries were not limited to material harm.

Intensive Investigation

During a report before the security commission in Kosovo's parliament, Minister of Internal Affairs Jedal Svecla said “authorities are working intensively on investigating recent attacks on Kosovo Police in the Serb-run northern municipalities of”. According to Minister Svechla, “six attacks on police in recent weeks have brought a sense of uncertainty to citizens in the north”. “These attacks above all have different backgrounds, with the aim of causing panic and uncertainty in citizens and to destabilise the situation in our country”, said the Interior Minister, who expressed conviction that “for a very short term, will have the right results in this field”.

Illegal roads on Kosovo border

Ryan List

The latest firearm attack on Kosovo police members occurred on April 26th. According to police spokesman, police officials were attacked with firearms in the village of Zubin Potok. All immediate police action has been undertaken in the case, where police units from the Zubin Potok police station have emerged at the scene, which have reported that the border unit has been attacked with firearms, in addition to material damage to vehicles, are not reported to injured officials”, spokesman Baki Kelani said. The reaction was also experienced by the Serbian political subject, the largest in Kosovo, List Srpska, which is represented in the Kosovo assembly by ten MPs. According to List Srpska, “such an incident is intended to present Serbs as molesters”, which they think does not match the truth. “We invite citizens not to fall into provocations and prevent such incidents that endanger much needed peace in this region. Who has done so does not want the good of the Serbian people”, it says in a response to the Serbian List's media.

Gunfights against police in northern Kosovo, images provided by Interior Ministry

Avoid Speculations That Cause Tensions

Following successive attacks on Kosovo police members in the north, there was a harsh rhetoric for which the European Union has also reacted. The EU demanded that <x0-mangen unnecessary speculations that could add tension”.

The European Union strongly condemns recent attacks on Kosovo Police patrols. Kosovo police are the main security provider and any use of force against its police officers is unacceptable. We urge all to avoid unnecessary speculation that may add to additional tensions. The investigation into the case will be conducted by relevant law enforcement bodies”, EU spokesman Peter Stano said in his response.

A parliamentary session for the incidents in northern Kosovo was meant to be held on April 19th, but it failed to be held due to the positions of opinion on other parliamentary issues.

“Sulmet are performed by individuals with criminal luggage”

But how do they view the attacks taking place on police members in the north, connoisseurs of security issues. Former Kosovo Police General Director, who has led the Kosovo Police from 2018-2020, now deputy in the Kosovo Assembly, Rashit Qalaj, thinks the “attacks were carried out by individuals with criminal luggage, operating within Kosovo's territory. ”

According to Qalaj, the <x0ndi individuals of those groups are definitely from Kosovo, but they exploit the territory of Serbia, so they attack Kosovo police from Serbia's head of”. Even in the past it has proved that criminal groups operating in northern Kosovo do not act alone, says Qalaj. “I think these groups are co-ordinated, they don't act alone, but they use Serbia more, as criminal elements to make any possible destabilisation in Kosovo”, says Rashit Qalaj.

In February of this year, Kosovo police began to close several mountain roads near the Kosovo-Serbia border used for smuggling. According to the Interior Ministry, the purpose of closing these down was “to prevent and fight crime and all forms of smuggling in border areas linking Kosovo with Serbia”. On some of these three-day streets, KFOR, in co-operation with Kosovo police, worked and removed obstacles set free from roads for local residents. KFOR officials said this mission “supports the efforts of institutions in Kosovo to strengthen rule of law and curb criminal activities in Kosovo”.

“We continue to support the Kosovo Police to prevent smuggling and trafficking activities, even in northern Kosovo, and to preserve a secure” environment, which should be weighed proportionally with the needs of local communities and with freedom of movement for local residents. KFOR remains fully focused to ensure a safe environment and freedom of movement for all communities living in Kosovo”, KFOR's mission for local media said. Anyway, Mission NATO in Kosovo, KFOR, the US Embassy in Kosovo and the EU Office have repeatedly condemned attacks against the Kosovo Police in the north, demanding that no hasty actions take place that could escalate tensions in the area in northern Kosovo. / DW