Two years after Banjska, Hoxha: Remains of criminal groups still endanger security in the north

Today, it is marked by a two-year terrorist attack on Zvecan Banjska, where Kosovo Police Sergeant Africa Bulnjaku took the lead in the post. From this attack led by Milan Radociq and his group, police officer Alban Rashit was wounded and another member of the Kosovo Police was injured.

This attack, aimed at destabilising and annexing four northern municipalities, was backed by law enforcement forces, but even today, according to security authorities, remains groups trying to stir tensions.

Kosovo Police Director Gazmend Hoxha said that even after two years, some remains of these groups continue to pose risks to stability in the north.

“continue to remain some remains of these groups, which still tend to disrupt public order and calm and threaten our citizens there, as well as the police units and Kosovo security institutions. But we can say that there is still potential to cause a problem in the north of the country. Kosovo police and other security institutions, in co-operation with KFOR, are working to ensure as much order and security as possible for our citizens”, Hoxha told Tv1.

He added that any information on these groups is seriously addressed and institutions act in accordance with the law.

“Options will continue. Wherever there is information, we will react, based on law, procedures and communicating with our prosecution and courts”, he stressed.

Hoxha recalled that the September 24th 2023 attack was an attempt to create chaos and change of situation in the north, but Kosovo police managed to successfully repel it.

Kosovo Police, thankfully, succeeded in resisting this attack. Even though we lost our hero, Sergeant Africa Bunnjak, we managed to prevent a scenario meant to cause great chaos and create a new reality in our country's north”, Hoxha said.

He indicated that police units reacted immediately and professionally.

Our “Police Units, including the Zvecan police station, which led the hero Africa Bulnjak, border units and later Kosovo Special Police Units, successfully faced the terrorist group, eliminating three of them and arresting others. The operation lasted several days, initially armed confrontations, and then shares on clearing the ground and ensuring public order”, he stressed.

The Police Director noted that despite the intensity of the attack, there was no damage to the civilian population, citizens' property, nor to the Banjsca Monastery.

The best of all this operation was that, in addition to losing the hero Bounjak and some minor injuries, there were no other consequences for either our policemen or civilians. There was no damage to the home or to the Manastir, where pilgrims and tourists were then being treated properly and there was no trouble”, Hoxha said.

Two years after this event, Kosovo security institutions say they will continue to be vigilant, preventing any attempts to destabilise the country's north./Periscopi/