14 minutes agoTurkish General Ulutash takes over KFOR commander
Periskopi(3 years ago)
(3 years ago)Major General Ozkan Ulutash has taken on Tuesday the task of commander of NATO's peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, at a time when tensions between Kosovo and Serbia are high following last month's attack on the country's north. This is the first time KFOR will be led by a Turkish commander. [...]
Major General Ozkan Ulutash has taken on Tuesday the task of commander of NATO's peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, at a time when tensions between Kosovo and Serbia are high following last month's attack on the country's north.
This is the first time KFOR will be led by a Turkish commander.
Ulutash took office from the until-day Italian commander, Major General Angelo Michele Ristoccia, during a ceremony in Pristina, becoming the 28th commander of the NATO mission in Kosovo since 1999.
Speaking after taking office, Ulutash said: “as the first Turkish commander of KFOR I understand the responsibility I have taken. Seeing the sensitive situation in Kosovo, I am taking command with dedication to make all efforts and using all experience to ensure that this distinguished unit will serve successfully in the future as it has in the past.
Kosovo police were attacked by an armed group of Serbs in the village of Banjska, in the municipality of Zvecan on 24 September, where Sergeant Africa Bulnjaku was killed. Three Serb attackers were killed in the fighting that followed in the village monastery.
Serbia has dismissed Kosovo's accusations that it stands behind the attack, dubbed by Kosovo authorities as “the attempt to annex Kosovo's north”.
The responsibility for the attack on Banjska was taken by Milan Radojic, former head of the Serbian List, the main party of Serbs in Kosovo that has Belgrade's backing. On 3 October, Radoici was arrested, interrogated and ordered to be kept in police custody until 48 hours before being released a day later.
