Kosovo: Serbian military deployment on the border

The US government says it is monitoring a “significant” Serbian military deployment on the island Border with Kosovo. The force includes an “unprecedented” array of artillery and tanks, John Kirby, communications director for the National Security Council, said Friday in Washington. “We call on Serbia to withdraw these forces from the border.”

Kirby said that the US government is concerned about the situation and has been monitoring it for about a week. He described the Serbian military presence on the border as “destabilizing.” He cannot currently make any statement about intent. Serbs are also under pressure through diplomatic channels to withdraw their forces.

Kosovo forces are being reinforced

Kosovo, populated almost exclusively by Albanians, broke away from Serbia with NATO help in 1999 and declared independence in 2008. More than 100 countries, including Switzerland, recognize independence, but not Serbia, which is regaining its former territory.

Last Sunday, a 30-member Serbian commando group took up positions in the town of Bangska near Mitrovica and engaged in battles with Kosovo police. Three Serb attackers and a Kosovar police officer were killed. NATO announced on Friday that it will strengthen its protection force in Kosovo

A senior Kosovo Serb politician admits responsibility

Senior Serbian politician in Kosovo W Businessman Milan Radošić It claimed responsibility for the attack carried out by an armed commando group in northern Kosovo five days ago.

“I decided to do this because all the resistance methods used so far have not brought any improvement in the lives of the Serbian people (in Kosovo),” he wrote in a statement read to the press by his lawyer in Belgrade on Friday. At the same time, he announced that he would resign as vice president of the Serbian List, the Kosovo Serb party. Where Radoicic is currently located is unknown.

(Department of Political Affairs/Position)