“We are monitoring a large Serbian delocation along the Kosovo border”, all that Kirby said last night

The co-ordinator for strategic communications at the US National Security Council, John Kirby, expressed Washington's concern, as he said, “The large deployment” of Serbia's troops along the border with Kosovo.

“We are monitoring a major Serbian delocation along the Kosovo border that represents an unprecedented participation of Serbian artillery, tanks and infantry units. We believe this is a very destabilizing development. We call on Serbia to withdraw these forces from the border and contribute to the reduction of” tensions, Kirby said during a conversation with journalists on 29 September.

Kirby was asked whether this gathering of military troops near the border is the signal that Serbia is preparing for any military invasion.

We're watching it. But the goal [of gathering Serbian military troops] cannot now say”, he said.

Disloiting Serbian troops along the border with Kosovo comes after the September 24th terrorist attack on Kosovo Police in Zvecan Banjska. Kosovo has blamed Serbia for this attack, but the latter has denied any involvement.

“A high level of softwareization in resources and training

The senior US official was asked by Radio Free Europe if the US is aware whether Serbia and Russia are involved in the Banjska attack and the possibility of imposing sanctions on Belgrade.

It's an ongoing investigation. We want to respect that process and want Serbia to participate in the investigation. Second, the scale of this attack, the number of vehicles involved, ammunition and weapons, certainly allude to a high level of sofism in resources and training. Only their size is disturbing. It does not seem that some men gathered and decided to do so [the attack] ad hoc. This is disturbing”, Kirby said.

He said it is disturbing the weapons found after the incident, which he said are military-level, including grenade launchers and other weapons.

Kirby described the September 24th attack as well-coordinated and well planned.

“Sulmers used about 20 vehicles to transport weapons, which in quantity and selection are alarming. Most of the weapons were of a military kind, including reverse missiles, explosives and tactical equipment”.

This is not some kind of attack that is carried out by accident, ad hoc, by some small group. The amount and kind of weapons that were found pose danger to the security not only of Kosovo personnel, but also of international personnel, including NATO troops”, he said, adding that the perpetrators of the attack and those planning it must face justice.

Kirby said that during the conversation US Secretary of State Antony Blinken conducted earlier in the day with Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq, he has demanded that Serbia reduce tensions.

After this conversation, Vuciq at a media conference has denied that the Serbian Army is on high alert, saying he has not signed such a decision.

Kirby said the US in co-operation with European allies is working to make Kosovo and Serbia return to the peaceful “dialog mediated by the European Union”.

The United States has strongly condemned the terrorist attack on Kosovo Police on 24 September in Zvecan Banjska.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, earlier requested that the perpetrators of the “crime be held responsible through a transparent investigation process”.

Vuciq, meanwhile, earlier said Blinken has warned measures against Serbia.

Kosovo has said over 80 masked and armed attackers have attacked police in Banjska, killing Sergeant Africa Buxaku.

During the clashes of the armed group with police at the Banjska monastery, three other attackers have been killed.

Kosovo has named the attack as a terrorist and has requested an international investigation into Serbia, over its role in the attack.

Serbia has denied any involvement.

On 29 September, Milan Radoicic, who said he is resigning from the Serbian List, the main party of Serbs in Kosovo who enjoys Belgrade's support through his lawyer, acknowledged that he organised and participated in the Banjska attack.

Earlier, authorities in Kosovo have published evidence, like a video recorded in fear, where there was an armed and uniformed Radoicqi in Banjska.