Pristina fears attack
Kosovo: Serbian army approaches from three directions
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Concern about military intervention by Serbia is growing in Kosovo: Pristina reports that Serbian troops are advancing on the border and fears a “possible military aggression”. However, Belgrade denies a demonstration on the border with its neighbor.
The conflict between Serbia and Kosovo is taking on threatening proportions. Pristina accused Belgrade of advancing its military towards Kosovo – from “three different directions”. This emerges from a statement from the Kosovo government. The advance serves “a possible military aggression against the Republic of Kosovo.”
Units of the Second Brigade of the Serbian Army moved from the direction of Raska towards Kosovo's northern border, it said. Units of the Third Brigade from the Nis region towards the northeastern border and units of the Fourth Brigade from the Vranje region towards the eastern border, the government in Pristina continued.
On Friday, Serbia sent military and police to 48 forward operating bases along the border with Kosovo, in Serbian territory, a few kilometers from the Kosovo border. Serbia deployed anti-aircraft systems and heavy artillery. Kosovo, in coordination with international partners, is “more determined than ever to protect territorial integrity,” the government statement said.
Berlin calls on Serbia to de-escalate
The Foreign Office in Berlin called on the Serbian government in Belgrade to de-escalate. “It is important that Serbia immediately reduce troops at the border,” the office wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Berlin and its partners are in “intensive contact” with all sides. The political process must be continued “urgently”.
On Friday, Washington expressed concern about the buildup of Serbian troops on the border with Kosovo. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken telephoned Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who, however, denied the deployment of large troops and spoke of “untruths”.
Attack by commando squad
The trigger for the new tensions was the attack last Sunday by a 30-man, heavily armed Serbian commando squad on Kosovar police officers in the town of Banjska near Mitrovica in northern Kosovo. Three Serbian attackers and a Kosovar police officer were killed. The Kosovo Serb top politician and businessman Milan Radoicic claimed responsibility for this attack. He claimed that he carried out the action on his own initiative and did not inform any official authorities in Serbia about it. The government in Pristina considers Radoicic to go it alone out of the question.
Kosovo, which is now inhabited almost exclusively by Albanians, seceded from Serbia in 1999 with NATO help and declared independence in 2008. More than 100 countries, including Germany, recognize independence, but not Serbia, which is reclaiming its former province.
