WAS: Ten Kosovars were in camps in Syria in 2023

So says the U.S. State Department report (DASH), dedicated to global terrorism, for 2023.

In the part of Kosovo, it is mentioned that Kosovo has repatriated 121 people and arrested 12 of its citizens who have been to Syria.

It has been estimated that, as in the past, Kosovo citizens continue to be vulnerable to efforts to recruit on the part of violent religious organisations.

After the outbreak of conflict in Syria in 2011, an estimated 350 Kosovars had travelled towards Syria and Iraq to fight mainly alongside the extremist group, the Islamic State (IS).

People who have returned to Kosovo have faced court processes.

However, according to the report, although Kosovo's legislative framework envisions prosecution of suspects for support of terrorist activities or participation in foreign wars, the penalties for committing terrorist acts are soft, with early releases or releases, as well as disorganized supervision after release.

In 2015, Kosovo has adopted a special law sanctioning participation in foreign wars, while the Criminal Code envisions penalties for committing terrorist acts from five years to life in prison.

Kosovo Correcting Service officials have told Radio Free Europe that following the trials, about 42 prisoners for participation in foreign wars have gone through its correctional institutions. Currently, there are seven of them in the correctional institutions.

The UN report mentions that since May 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigations in the United States (FBI) has committed a counterterrorism adviser to cover the region of Kosovo, Albania and Northern Macedonia.

FBI agents have reportedly participated in anti-terrorism task force meetings and have offered advice along the investigation.

It also mentions that the Government of Kosovo has been constructively working with the United States and the international community in counterterrorism efforts in 2023, and that it has adopted the long-awaited strategy and action plan for fighting and preventing terrorism, for the period 2023-28, the fourth since independence.

As for terrorist incidents that took place in Kosovo in 2023, the report is mentioned that following the May 29th attack of Serbs against members of the NATO mission in Kosovo, KFOR, Kosovo authorities have declared the North Brigade and Civil Protection as terrorist organisations, the REL reports.

The attack on Zvecan Banjska, conducted on 24 September, has also been mentioned as the result of which Kosovo Police Sergeant Africa Bulnjak has been killed.

Kosovo blames Serbia for organising and conducting the attack, while Belgrade denies everything.