KSF ready for deployment in Gaza, awaits institutions for decision

Kosovo has pledged to send troops to this war-torn country under the International Stabilisation Force (FNS), the mechanism meant to be formed with the establishment of the American President Donald Trump's initiative for achieving world peace.

In addition to the decision to send troops to Gaza, the Assembly should also approve the agreement on Kosovo's membership in this mechanism.

The commander of the International Stabilising Force, Jasper Jeffers, has indicated that Kosovo is among the first five states, including Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan and Albania, which have pledged to engage troops in order to provide security in Gaza.

However, little is known in the public when KSF soldiers will be deployed there, and how many will be.

Steps to Finalizing the Process

The functioning of the Kosovo Parliament's work, following the Constitutional Court's decision on March 25th, has opened a section of the road to be pursued until the departure of soldiers.

This is because the Law for sending the KSF abroad envisions that the decision in this direction is taken by the Kosovo Government.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the proposal for the KSF deployment in Gaza has been forwarded for approval to Government on March 3rd. After approval there, the decision is passed on to lawmakers and ultimately must be approved by the president of state.

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani has been among the founders of the Peace Board and has fully supported Trump's initiative. Its presidential mandate expires on April 4th.

The possibilities for commitment from May?

Israel's public broadcaster KAN has reported on March 14th that the International Stabilisation Force (FNS) will start engagement in Gaza since May, including the engagement of dozens of Kosovo soldiers.

Despite Interest Free Europe Radio (REL) The government has not confirmed whether this information is correct, nor has it indicated when it will proceed to the Assembly decision on this KSF commitment.

Similarly, the Kosovo presidency has not returned the response, in terms of eventual deadlines for ratification of this agreement.

Macedonia: Initially, over 20 soldiers are planned to be sent

Defense Ministry officials told him REL that they are in constant communication with FNS officials for preparations to be made and that, to that end, a military liaison has been assigned that “helps prepare for the KSF contingent landing in Gaza”.

“The FNS, as well as the Peace Board, make up two tools that have the same goal and that is to preserve security and peace in Gaza, so and to send the KSF to Gaza, there has been co-ordination between the Government and other institutions”, it has been said in the ministry's response, recalling that the International Stabilising Force also has a UN Security Council mandate.

Defence Minister Ejup Macedonia has said in an interview for the local media in Kosovo, Tv1, that “originally planned to be sent to Gaza over 20 soldiers” of various fields.

The EOD (United Tool Elimination Unit) and the demination, which is already a specialty of the Kosovo Security Force. We'll also have officers and deputy officers from special operations, but we'll also have planner officers who'll be in charge of the Stabilisation Force. But there will also be medical teams that will be part of this Kosovo Security Force contingent”, Macedonia said on 24 March.

Details for the delocation time have not even provided the Peace Board itself, calling <x0 operational security”.

The main objective of the FNS is to stabilise the security environment in Gaza”, said in a board response.

For the retired KSF colonel, Africa Veselin, the number of troops to be sent to Gaza “is not so important”.

According to him, the KSF has officers and deputy officers prepared with NATO standards, and this operation will open Kosovo and its military further the way to the international arena.

This will strongly affect our path to NATO”, he told Radio Free Europe.

The REL has also been directed to the Government of Albania to understand where the preparations are there, but it has not received an answer until the publication of this article.

“Access of KSF to Gaza, return of honour for the assistance received in 1999”

On March 24th, 27 years have been made since the launch of NATO bombings on Serbian military and police targets in the former Yugoslavia to halt the violence of Serb forces against Albanians in Kosovo.

Bombings lasting 78 days were halted a day after the signing of the Kumanovo Agreement, after which Yugoslav forces withdrew from Kosovo and the NATO-led international peacekeeping force KFOR was established.

Kosovo has openly expressed its aspirations to join NATO, until its peacekeeping mission, KFOR, continues to be present in Kosovo, though with more reduced numbers than in the post-war period. At first, there were some 50,000 troops, and today it numbers 4,767 troops from 33 countries in the world.

Former Colonel Wessel says that Kosovo, through its engagement in Gaza, is turning <x0nder and the aid it received in 1999”.

“From a country that was a victim in 1999, Kosovo and its army now receive such an operation”, he said.

Kosovo Institute for Justice researcher Melos Kolshi told Radio Free Europe that Kosovo's membership in such structures “reinforces international subjectivity of the state and deepens co-operation with key allies, including the United States of America”.

“in a broader geopolitical context, such developments contribute to the consolidation of strategic partnership with the US and the preservation of continued American support, which has historically been crucial to the statehood and security of Kosovo”, he said.

KSF engagement abroad

This would not be the first time members of the KSF become dislocated abroad.

In 2021, this force was sent on a mission to Kuwait under American forces and in 2022 to the Falklands Islands, in collaboration with the United Kingdom.

Members of the KSF also participate in training abroad within the framework of co-operation with various states.

In this direction, the KSF has a close partnership with the National Guard of the US State of Aiva.

The KSF is in the process of becoming military, and the plans are to shut down by 2028.