KFOR calls on Kosovo, Serbia to refrain from escalating rhetoric

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said late Thursday that Serb army units have been observed several metres away from the border with Kosovo, naming those moves as “deliberate provocations”.

In a response to Radio Free Europe, KFOR said that, following recent tensions, about 1,000 additional troops of the mission moved to Kosovo and that the presence of this force in northern Kosovo has increased.

“We have tripled the number of patrols, including at the administrative border line”, KFOR said.

Our goal is to stop escalation and we are willing and equipped to undertake all measures to fulfill our UN mandate, to ensure a safe environment for all people living in Kosovo, as well as free movement”, he added.

Earlier Friday, Serbia's Defence Ministry dismissed Kurti's statements, labeling them “the disinformative refugee for Serbia's army”.

She said Serbian Army forces “are carrying out their duties in the secure administrative zone, in accordance with all signed agreements”.

Earlier in the day, US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia James O'Brien said the United States is monitoring the Serbian Army's movements close to the border with Kosovo, and that it has suggested that Serbia use of force would be unacceptable.

“In Serbia, [Serbia's president, Aleksandar] Vuciq well knows that any use of force against Kosovo would be unacceptable, it would be considered risking NATO forces, which are there to protect the population, Albanians and Serbs. He has said that there will be no use of force”, O'Brien said.

He has called on Kosovo and Serbia to take action to reduce tensions in the region.

KFOR said its mission's presence is <x0-flexible and visible” throughout Kosovo, adding that this enables it to monitor closely any relevant security development and respond to all situations that have an impact on security.

The peacekeeping force said it is working closely with Kosovo Police and EULEX, as the first and second security responder in Kosovo, respectively.

KFOR called on Kosovo and Serbia to engage in dialogue mediated by the European Union.

Tensions in northern Kosovo began to increase in late May 2023, after the new mayors of Zvecan, Zubin Potok and Leposaviq, accompanied by Kosovo Police, entered municipal buildings.

Serbian residents rejected this and organised protests that culminated in violence 29 May in Zvecan, where dozens of KFOR demonstrators and soldiers were injured.

They escalated several months later, on September 24th, when Kosovo Police were attacked by a group of armed Serbs in Zvecan Banjska in the north of the country, where one policeman and three attackers were killed.

As a result, NATO added the number of its soldiers to the peacekeeping mission, KFOR.

According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's annual report, the KFOR mission now has 4,700 members in Kosovo, including the reserve force.

That number will increase further if the decision is made for Slovenia to increase the number of troops in Kosovo next month.