Hovier for “Politico”: Military arsenal confiscated that can't provide ordinary citizen

The United States has concluded that the weekend attack by the alleged Serb militia in northern Kosovo, leaving an officer and three armed men dead, aimed at destabilising the region and is warning of possible further escalation among older enemies.

“We know it was co-ordinated and sophisticated”, said US Ambassador to Kosovo Jeffrey M. Havenier for POLITICO, adding that armed men seemed to have had military training. “The amount of weapons tells us this was serious, with a plan to destabilise security in the region”.

Kosovo police said a group of about 30 heavily armed Serbs were ambushing a police patrol early Sunday, killing one officer and wounding another before they fled and fled to a nearby Orthodox monastery. The three armed men were killed in a shootout with police and two were arrested. Most of the Serb armed men managed to sneak out of the monastery and escape on foot, Kosovo authorities said.

Western officials said the incident reflected increased geopolitical tensions in the Balkans, as Russia, frustrated by Europe's strong support for Ukraine, tries to use its influence with allies in Serbia and elsewhere to fuel tensions, especially in Bosnia and Kosovo.

Hovnier said the US must still determine whether Serbia was responsible for waiting, as Kosovo claims, but he said the equipment seized by authorities, including rocket launchers, mines and an armoured personnel carrier, was the “militarygrad not available for ordinary citizen”.

He said the US had no reason to suspect that the weapons and other equipment presented by Kosovo police at a news conference Monday were not what were found at the scene.

“The people we most hold responsible are the people who shot at the Kosovo police officer”, Hovenier said.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq denied that Belgrade was involved in the attack, insisting it was the work of local Kosovo Serbs provoked by Prime Minister Albin Kurti, who has added police to the north in recent months.

It is unclear whether armed people sought confrontation with Kosovo police on Sunday or were planning a long-term operation and were facing a Kosovo police team, Western officials said.

Despite deep distrust between Kosovo and Serbia, Hovenier said Western efforts to achieve peace must continue.

Calling the incident “extremely unfortunate”, he said he hoped it would provide “ensure incentives both in Belgrade and Pristina to pursue good neighbourly relations”.